


Time Intermittences

by Rose_Bride



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, M/M, The mature tag is there, and one dealing with suicidal thoughts, for to nswfish chapters, more prompts, or - Freeform, sometime just, still unbeated, the rest is pretty much g rated, this time autumn themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-01
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-08-28 05:57:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 62
Words: 26,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8434285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_Bride/pseuds/Rose_Bride
Summary: An intermittence is defined by sporadic or periodic happenings in a determined space of time, most of them fleeting and dreary, some of them however are worthy of being told.This is basically a sort of compilation of all the short one-shots I've done either for the (unfinished :P) Arc V month,  in the spur of a moment or for writing prompts in Tumblr





	1. Day 1: Bang!

 

  **Day 1: BANG!**  


**a sudden loud, explosive noise, as the firing of a gun:**

**slammed the door with a bang.**

**a strong, violent blow: a nasty bang on the head**

There are times when Sora hears some balloon pop, an exhaust pipe or distant fireworks and his first automatic response is suppressing the flinch and dodge.

Which is completely stupid, he is a spy, a trained soldier, and as an elite Academia warrior he has studied this dimension beforehand he knew the specifics of its customs and everyday rituals, he knew they weren't at war with anyone… yet; these sounds were nothing but people living their lives, it shouldn't make him want to run away for his.

**_*BANG*_ **

He felt frozen into place unable to breath for a couple seconds _'which is not good, lives are lost in mere seconds during a battlefield'_ he shouldn't be allowing himself to grow complacent, but he needed to if he was to mingle in Maiami City, it was ironic really.

"Sora! It's your turn!" he hears Yuzu say through the communicator and realizes Yuya has been waiting for his move as well, _'Right'_ Yuya's monsters were always so… lively.

"Got it! got it! Yuya Get ready for showtime!"

And Yuya smiles at his choice of words, he can hear Yuzu giggling at this too even if he can't see her. _'Ridiculous'_ he thinks even as he feels his mouth lift and a cheeky grin makes its way on his face.

"The fun has just begun!" Which of course earned him another round of smiles in which he joined wholeheartedly.

Yet, he knew one day all of this would end with a bang…a real one this time.


	2. Day 2: Yesterday

**Day 2: Yesterday**

**the day immediately preceding today**

**(often plural) the recent past**

It felt like it was just yesterday that he had first met Yuya Sakaki.

Admittedly part of it was because it was precisely yesterday that he had formally introduced himself to the boy.

No, the time he's thinking about is much farther away, during a time of his life that in three whole years he has not allowed himself to dwell in. A time he would carefully label as happiness - blissful ignorance was far more fitting, he realized that now - where his only real worries had been his studies and fulfilling his parent's expectations.

A time where he still dueled for fun.

He still remembered the first time he had seen Yusho Sakaki in an Action Duel, with his wide smiles, his dashing movements and shining performance, 'A true Entertainer' he was the very first person in his life to make a real impression on him even if he had caught it just in a live feed, he would never forget his mother surprise when he requested to be taken to one of his live shows, Nakajima would later confess that the Madame had been concerned of his über-excitement during that one meal.

It had been then a wise decision to that she didn't have to see him in an awed state in the crowd, cheering along with them, yelling at Yusho's request and standing up to applaud him once it all ended.

It had been at his own insistence that Reiji had made Nakajima accompany him to the backstage - one of the few times he had made use of the Akaba family name for purely selfish reasons - if only to catch a glimpse of the man who made him smile.

And unsurprisingly he wasn't the only one, there was another boy, younger than him, waiting outside he eyed him curiously but looked away immediately probably taking notice of the bodyguards behind Reiji, still he moved to the side of the bench, making an unspoken invitation.

How kind of him.

As Reiji waited he stole glances at the boy next to him, he had a strange combination of red and green hair and bright red eyes to match there was a trembling uncertain quality to them that made him curious, somehow something about it seemed familiar.

Once the door finally opened that uncertain ghost fled away from the boy's eyes as he dashed to the arms of Yusho Sakaki while yelling 'daddy' over and over, as he looked at them both he realized it:

He was Yusho's son, and looking at them now together with the same features, eye shape and dashing smile, it was clear as day, once he was done processing the fact he got up from his seat and bowed to them thanking him for the great show, he almost jolted when he felt a hand on his hair.

"Thank you, for keeping company to Yuya"

Reiji felt a strange unfamiliar warmth at his chest looking again at their smiles this time directed just at him.

It was a feeling he had never quite forgotten, even if yesterday he had failed to feel the same way at seeing Yuya's current smile, a painful, forced smile that failed to reach his eyes.


	3. Day 3: Fairytales

**Day 3 - Fairytale**

**A story involving fantastic forces and beings such as fairies, wizards, and goblins.**

**A story in which improbable events lead to a happy ending**

**A made-up story usually designed to mislead.**

"…And so spent the rest of her days in the desolated Moon with only a white rabbit to make her company" He finished closing the book hoping to see a sleepy face, instead he was now looking at a very wide-eyed Yuzu.

"So, that's why you can see a bunny in the moon?" she asked directing a sad glance at the window.

"That's right" he responded failing to suppress a yawn, but looking at Yuzu's puffed cheeks he knew he wouldn't be getting any sleep, not soon anyway.

"I thought fairy tales were supposed to have happy endings" she complained.

"Not all of them do, it all depends on the actions of the people in them Yuzu" he attempted to explain. "In this case is not good idea to drink something if you don't know what's in it"

Then again maybe Houyi should have labeled the bottles or keep them out of sight for safety but common sense was nor particularly abundant in these stories.

Either way that seemed to be a good enough answer for Yuzu as she finally plopped down on her bed, still facing the moon.

"Well sweetie, Daddy needs his sleep too, good night" he said as he tucked her in the sheets, even if he knew they would be made a mess in the morning.

"Daddy, could Mom also be trapped? And that's why she can't come home with us?" she asked not facing him, but he knew she was staring at her bracelet.

"…Who knows, maybe" he hated every word that came out from his mouth when she asked about that. "There are only so many things that can keep a mother from their children"

"…Maybe when I get bigger and stronger I can find her and get her out then"

"…Who knows?"


	4. Day 4: Costumes

**DAY 4 - COSTUME**

**Style of dress typical of a particular nation, group, or historical period:**

**Clothing of period, place, etc., or for a particular occasion such as a party**

**Clothing, a set of garments selected for wear at a single time; outfit; ensemble.**

Sometimes it felt like Yuya was always wearing a costume.

He was the son of Yusho and Yoko Sakaki, childhood friend of Yuzu and Gongenzaka, middle school student, mentor to Futoshi and Ayu, student of Yushow Duel School, all of them neatly assembled and ready for him to wear accordingly to the occasion.

And when either one of them failed he always had his precious goggles as a safety net, if his eyes were hidden then nobody would notice his trembling eyes and the tears gathering at the corner of them.

"Oi! Look whose coming over there!"

"Oh? Isn't that the Sakaki boy? The son of that good-for-nothing cowa-"

None of the children got to finish the sentence before the cowered before the two figures appearing behind them: Gongenzaka and Yuzu giving them epic glares to anyone who dared to speak ill of him.

Of course once they remembered the last time they tempted their luck, they all ran.

"It's ok Yuya they left" he heard Yuzu say nearing to his side, and not so discretely looking for any signs of harm.

"It's all good, it's ironic that they speak of cowardice when they don't have the guts to stand by their statements"

"Yeah, don't let them get to you Yuya, don't ever believe what they say".

"No of course not"

But he did believe it, it stung like a glass splinter to his chest every time too, but even so he still returned the smile they both gave him.

Yes sometimes Yuya felt like he wore costumes, colorful, shiny and convincing ones, but that was all they were:

_'Lies, a fraud'_

He really was a coward.


	5. Day 5: Uniform

**_Day 5 – Uniform_ **

**_Identical, the same, or consistent, as from example to example or place to place: a uniform building code._ **

**_Without changes in detail; constant; not changing: a uniform surface, without dents._ **

_**dress of distinctive style worn by the members of a given profession, organization, or rank:** _

_'_ _It's just another uniform'_ he says to himself.

It's been so long since the last time Dennis wore another set of clothes that wasn't his Academy's provided ones (even sleepwear) that he had forgotten what he looked like without them, it was…. Unsettling.

It was a bit embarrassing to admit that it made him feel almost lost, tiny, insignificant even, his standard wardrobe always gave him a sense of normalcy, and sense of belonging, no matter how bad he screwed up the day's exercises as long as he showed up next day wearing it and giving the proper salute his superiors would nod at him and a sense of relief would wash over him.

It was just his luck that his current predicament was yet a result of training

If this wasn't yet another task, another milestone to become a full-fledged member of the spy branch he doesn't know if he could make it to the end of the week, the stares, the sneers and the whispers weigh down on him like a boulder.

"Good job, Macfield" he hears his instructors tell him.

He makes a full bow to both of them while they scribble away some notes and hand him back his clothes, the real ones this time, he almost commits the mistake of hugging them to his chest in relief.

"The Professor wants to see you, he has a special… assignment for you"

To this he does slightly jolt which while not unnoticed doesn't earn him a glare like usual, if anything they look amused at his reaction, but still he does not budge and he gives the most dignified salute he can as a thank you.

_'Finally'_

As he waits outside the Professor's quarters, he looks down on his official Academy pin, pride swelling in his heart.

It was all worth it.


	6. Day 6: Happy Two Year Anniversary!

**_Day 6 – Happy Two Year Anniversary!_ **

**_The date of an important past event that is celebrated or remembered every year_ **

**_The celebration of an anniversary, esp. of a wedding_ **

**_of or relating to an anniversary:_ **

As guests continue to arrive to greet them half of the time Yoko can't help but wonder who in earth half of these people are.

Of course she finds solace in the fact that Yusho made sure all their close friends would sit with them but seeing that both herself and her beloved husband have no close family (at least not one that acknowledges as daughter in her case…) it still leaves them with a tiny table surrounded by a dozen of tables full of strangers.

Most of them compromised by press members and fans.

Just a year before she would have never imagined that something as mundane as their 2nd year of being married would be met with such fanfare by the citizens of Maiami, she should feel flattered she supposes but they are not here for her, they're not here even for Yusho; they are here to bask in his light, in his fame.

If she was less of person she may find it disgusting.

Just as she's about to say yet another practiced greeting to a representative of Leo Corporations no less – presenting both apologies and a present from the CEO and his wife in their steed _supposedly_ – the lights go out and murmurs fill the room.

Of course it's so like him to make a dramatic entry.

And then an explosion of colors and lights from behind her spot make her jump in surprise, next thing she knows she's swoop down her feet as she is enveloped in a pair of arms.

"LAADIEEEESSSS AAAND GENTLEMAN!" calls booming voice from the speakers, which she recognizes as Shuzo-kun hot-headiness.

"Please stand together to celebrate the love shared by my two dearest friends: Yusho and Yoko Sakaki!"

As her sight clears up and a raring applause fills her senses now she looks up to him, and the smile he gives her is enough to let go of everything and then he hands over the mic and she understands:

"THE FUN HAS JUST BEGUN!"


	7. Day 7: Duel Fuel

**Day 7 – Duel Fuel**

**_Matter that can be burned to create heat or power, such as coal, wood, oil, or gas_ **

**_Something that maintains, encourages, or stimulates_ **

Walking down the once plaza he can feel the smell of powder fills his nostrils, it accompanies the dry wind along with bits of ashes and sparks, as he passes by the fallen citizens of Heartland he watches how all the cards disappear in sickly green glow.

It all makes for such a beautiful sight.

Yuri feels more than hears a rustle behind him he feels tugs _,_ he is _itching_ , **_hungry_** ; but it's instantly let down as the only people he glances at are a bunch of scurrying Red's soldiers not worth his time not even good enough to fuel the Professor's goal.

Uninteresting all of them.

He hates when it happens, the disappointment leaving him to feel restless and empty… _and the itch still won't go_ _'Damn it'_

Ugh, another trash scurrying away surely, and as the tugs get more and more insistent he resolves that no matter who is, or how boring they are, they will become hi- its new diversion.

"Hey, hey _take it easy_ Yuri remember to breathe in and out, in an d out-"

" _Dennis_ , save your useless chatter or fight me" he bites out feeling the taste of ashes in his mouth.

"Bad day eh? Luckily here I am to serve you as usual, look" he says handing him a picture of another bracelet this time with a green gem in it.

He doesn't need to see Dennis furrowed brow – no matter how much he tries to hide it behind his smile - to know the smile is creeping on his face as they speak.

And the beast inside of him calms down, biding its time.


	8. Day 8: Reunion

**Day 8 – Reunion**

**_The act of uniting again._ **

**_The state of being united again._ **

**_A gathering of relatives, friends, or associates at regular intervals or after separation_ **

There she is again.

With her pigtailed hair and her blue hair adornments, she's wearing yet another set of clothes it matters not, he catches a rose glint from her bracelet and he knows it's her this time.

His body is instantly fill with ache as she is too far away from his grasp, he wants to stand by her, to hold her hand, to hold her tight and never let go, except of course to get a good look at her just to reassure himself that she's really there and not going anywhere this time, but more than anything he wants to see her smiling at him again, the mere memory of it making the ache worse tenfold.

But she is not smiling.

She look at him with an odd expression, he taps back into his feelings and remembers the right word for it: sorrow, tears and _horror._ Not just that she isn't just looking at him, she's looking at the open gate and the energy surrounding him and the rest of his pieces.

'FINALLY YOU ARE ALL HERE, NOW BECOME ONE, REVIVE, LIVE AND _DESTROY_ '

The voice sounds so close to his own and yet so different, but it's soothing because he finally understands, those feeling of emptiness, of isolation, of feeling incomplete, it all makes sense as now.

Just as the voice resonates again he steals one last look at _her_ , the last one before he loses himself.

_'_ _We will become one'_


	9. Day 9: Void

**Day 9 – Void**

**_Empty space; emptiness._ **

**_A state or feeling of loss_ **

**_(in cards) lack of cards in a suit_ **

_'_ _It's cold'_

That is the only thought that crossed his mind when he finally opens his eyes, taking in his new surroundings, he is in a white room, in a white bed, with white sheets and clothes, he clenches his hand over and over and notices there is a tube injected into his arm.

Before he can wonder if the clear liquid is responsible for his drowsiness he hears steps and a door open.

The sensation of his muscles tightening and his need to curl into a ball are slow, way too slow and he cannot have that, they will get to him and his body won't listen to an instinct that should already be grabbed into his core.

But then the click and clack he hears are unfamiliar sounds, and the gait rhythm too slow to belong to the ones he associates with the masked people.

Then two tall individuals are staring down at him, he recognizes the female form with its red colors all over herself, even on the cold smile that is a shade of red a little too _familiar_ to find comfort in looking at it.

But the other figure draws his attention, almost as tall as the female one, but this one is male and a slightly more of the broad side than hers, they both look similar in stance and features but none of them seem to have a scoop of aggression in them and that is all it matters.

"What is your name?" the male figure asks.

He only stares at him now that he has moved closer he can only assume he need to be alert.

"The government was already in shambles when they found him, any records of him have most likely disappeared, and thus he is no one." The female figure replies in his place.

" _'_ _No one'_ you say? Then how about… Reira?" the other figure asks back.

"Reiji-san are you asking me to…?"

"Mother please, I was asking _him_ " he says and he found himself staring at a pair of purple eyes rimmed by red frames. "How are you feeling Reira?" and before he can scurry away a hand is positioned on top of his head.

And it's the first time in a long time since he felt anything like this.

"It's… " He hears a voice saying, almost not realizing it's his own. "…warm"


	10. Day 10: Lancer

**Day 10 – Lancer**

**_A cavalryman armed with a lance_ **

**_A member of a regiment retaining such a title_ **

The truth pierces through the audience along with the roars, the crying and the indignation of the audience, once it settles in them that the scrawny teens in the middle of the arena are the same as the ones who fought in the Battle Royale the applause that they give them is deafening to the point of almost making her dizzy.

Serena is now a Lancer.

_"_ _Lancers are soldiers known to ride a horse and wield a spear through their enemies!"_

The realization settles with surprising ease in her chest, even if she knows that she is now a traitor too, to the Fusion dimension, to the Duel Academy and to the Professor, but at this one moment she can't find in herself to care about either of those things, she doesn't know if there was a time she ever truly cared about those.

After all there isn't much to be appreciated when the only world known to you is limited by four walls, instructors, scheduled classes, training and meals.

_"_ _We will not fail to eliminate all our enemies!"_

This is what she has always desired for: to fight, to prove to everyone that she was a worthy warrior, someone who deserved more than to be cooped in a tower longing for the world seen through a window.

She is finally about to grasp her future, and if the people standing in the way of it will be her former countrymen so be it, one can't enter warfare without expecting losses on either side of it, she can feel that small, hidden, _eager_ part of her who wishes to gaze upon their faces once they are met with opposition such as the Lancers.

Serena will not retreat, she will not show mercy (and why would she when they show none either?) and most of all she will regret nothing.

_"_ _I swear to every one of you in this world!"_


	11. Day 11: Dreams

**Day 11 – Dreams**

**_A sequence of images passing through the mind during sleep_ **

**_A state of the mind in which one does not pay attention to one's surroundings_ **

**_A reverie about the future; reverie._ **

**_A goal; aim; hope; aspiration_ **

There he was again with that silly look on his face: the puckered lips, closed eyes and red face that would make a tomato envious, when his arms started to move in front of him as if gathering the air in front of him – or rather a _someone_ – she knew she had to intervene before he ended up kissing a lamppost

"Yugo! I've told you many times to look the where you're walking!" she chided him with the most commanding and nagging voice she could muster.

"Wha-" and there he went smacking his head into the metal pole.

Once he managed to come to his senses and she helped him to dust off a little bit he started they started their routine: he kept on denying he was distracted over anything, that it was her nagging that had made him hit his face while she just stood there with a raised eyebrow, waiting for him to finish.

"…If you say so, what were you thinking so deeply about anyway?" As if she didn't already know the answer.

"Just you know… stuff" he always looked so adorable whenever those blushes spread across his face and he got all stuttering and nervous.

"Oh, any chance it was about me and my nagging?" _'About us'_ she mussed in her head

"…No, no, no, I mean of course I think about you alw- lots of times because we live together but I had a lot of thing s in my head, like…the Friendship Cup! Yes that is what I was thinking about"

Rin didn't miss the Jack Atlas poster they had just passed.

"He, don't you dare to dream, you'll have to get through me to face Jack Atlas you know? And once I become King …." She would change that ridiculous rule about the underground forced labor, she would storm into the place just to get to Yugo if that's what it took.

"Mmph! As if when I become King I will make you my Queen!" he exclaimed with a fist raised high in the air, before he slowly realized again what he just said and once again the color raised to the tips of his hair.

"I mean, I didn'-" she pressed her finger to his mouth to save him at least this once the embarrassment.

"Dream cost us nothing right?"


	12. Day 13: It's Showtime!

**Day 13 – It's Showtime!**

**_A theatrical production, performance, etc._ **

**_Show Business a radio or television program_ **

**_A display of products by manufacturers in an industry._ **

**_Exhibition._ **

When Ruri catches a glimpse of the confetti explosion she can't help but turn her head so suddenly than she almost winces at the painful strain to her neck, it's not like celebrations are an unusual sight on Heartland, and especially not when numerous summer festivals are around the corner, no her attention had not been caught by the colors or the sounds, it was because of the performer.

Not only was he is he an enthusiastic entertainer – maybe a little too much? – It was the combination of a bright smile, disheveled head of orange hair and booming voice that caught her eyes.

And now it seemed that the feeling was mutual, noticing his green eyes set on her figure.

"It's Showtime!"

She couldn't help the yelp when the ground disappeared under her feet, for a moment she let herself admire the sight of the awed people and her town in the distance, it stirred something in her, a fuzzy feeling in the base of her belly and gave her chills, she could feel her mouth twitch at this newfound excitement

But before she could even get used to the feeling her feet found the floor again and as she tried to steady her gait, she noticed the orange mop of hair hunched below her waist, he was _kneeling_ and requested a duel from her.

It was nothing special, she was sure of it, she wasn't even his first duel of the day.

But when he raised his face and smiled at her again, adding a wink for good measure Ruri couldn't stop the smile creeping on her face until it became a full-blown beaming grin.

Yes, this boy was indeed a performer.


	13. Day 14: Bracelet Girls

**Day 14 – Bracelet Girls**

**_An ornamental band or circlet for the wrist or arm or, sometimes, for the ankle._ **

**_Bracelets,_ ** **_A pair of handcuffs._ **

**_A collar._ **

Most of the time neither of them thinks _that_ much about the bracelets, neither of them really remembers how exactly they've gotten it either, most people would probably think it weird, but for them it's just another part of their lives, a certainty, a _balance_.

But then there are always little moments that prevents them from completely thinking of them as normal.

Ever since she started attending middle school, Ruri has already lost count of the people who assumes it must be a gift from a "secret" boyfriend, no matter the number of times she and Yuto deny it, at some point a really sullen Shun tries to tell them that they have no need to keep their relationship hidden from him, eyes obviously posed on her wrist.

It was both embarrassing and hilarious for all of them, it not until after school that it dawns on her that Shun, her _brother,_ doesn't know where it comes from either.

...

Once upon a time, Rin had believed that hers was a memento left by her parents, she used to allow herself a silly fantasy: One day her parents would come to the Facility recognize her bracelet and take her back home where she belonged, dissolving on apologies for the hardships they imposed on her; if she is completely honest with herself she really can't – or won't - pinpoint the moment she dropped such delusions.

She tells herself that along with the fleeting moments she thinks she can see different pair of eyes staring back at her on the mirror, or looking at her hands and finding that somehow they just feel alien to her, they are just that: delusions.

...

Serena doesn't have time to think about inconsequential things, the only things that matter to her pride and the world she gets a glimpse of every morning, to stop and think about useless things such as trinkets or jewelry would be a waste of time, _'If it's so useless then, why not taking it off then?'_ she hears herself asking every once in a while.

And she tries, oh how she tries, always at night, always on nights with a full moon, so far the farthest she's gotten is to her joint between her palms and fingers.

...

There are times when Yuzu catches herself gazing at her wrist lost in thought, usually when she's tired or alone, her fingers grazing carefully over the bands stopping into the little pink stone sitting at the center, still and dull, _waiting_. There is always a thought in the back of her head, nagging at something, but each time it eludes her.

 _'_ _No, not yet'_ it seems to tell her, and Yuzu feels the world around her again, never remembering what - or why - she was just doing.


	14. To Dust or to Gold

**Ship** /Brotp/Character: Yuto/Ruri

 **Prompt** : _To Dust or to Gold_

 **Words** : 262

* * *

“Hey! Move over girlie!” she heard someone speak at her back.

And just in time she barely avoided being hit by a wooden girder carried by a gruffy construction worker who shot daggers at her distraction, still she stayed close looking when the man threw the weight on his truck and knocked the truck to drive away, it was then that she noticed where it was directed and realized:

They were going to rebuild the dueling schools.

Ruri would have guessed that the city being destroyed and the citizens carded would me more than enough to make people wary of the very idea of bringing back the tech that helped the enemy.

Or maybe it was just her.

People from Heartland had always been a proud lot anyway, so of course it made sense that they wouldn’t want the idea of Academia- no, the Professor she corrected - priving them of one of their biggest joys.

Still, she could help the tightening of her hands around the flower bouquet in her hands.

Once she finally gathered some courage to enter the place, she almost choked on tears when she realized that she would be the first visit on a really long time: the memorial was full of dust, and grass was beginning to grow in between the cracks.

But she resisted, he wouldn’t want to see her tears, she would want to see her smile….

And he would be delighted that the duel school would be up and running again.

Yes, people turn into dust but dueling and smiles will live on.


	15. Love, Salt, Sugar

**Prompt:  Love, Salt, Sugar**

**Words: 411**

* * *

“It’s too salty” she spoke after getting a spoonful.

Looking at his eager smile turn into a downcast expression was almost enough to make her regret saying it, and maybe she could even take another mouthful of the miso soup he had so carefully prepared for her, in case her face scrunched in disgust or something.

Except that Rin could still feel the stinging on her tongue and it wasn’t something she wished to repeat.

“This sucks, I swear I followed the recipe, what went wrong?” Yugo exclaimed dropping his face on the table face first.

“It’s not that bad, well it kind of is, but you can always try again tomorrow.” she attempted.

Rin was not sure if the muffled sounds coming from him were a yes or a no.

——————-

_‘I didn’t knew you could make miso soup that sweet’_

“…And?” he asked heart on his sleeve, sometimes she hated when he did that.

“It’s…. an improvement, did you use yellow miso?” she asked trying not to gag.

“Nope I used sugar!” he answered a  _little_  too proud of himself.

Whatever face she was making right now it was enough to make Yugo go all moody again and he fixed his pouty face on her.

“You didn’t like it” and it wasn’t a question, just because Yugo was sometimes - or many times -  a little oblivious it didn’t mean he was an idiot, he still knew her like the palm of his hand, or like the inner working of their D-wheel. “Agh I give up!!” 

He yelled it like it was the most dramatic thing in the world, throwing the apron in the air to add to the flair she supposed; Rin was not impressed.

“Come one Yugo don’t be a baby, it’s just soup.” she deadpanned.

“But, but I wanted to make something for you, and it was all sucky and bad an-” she had to interrupt him then before he could get into a rant.

“Tomorrow we’ll make something not just for us, but for the Sister and the other kids, and it will be delicious you hear me?” she said her tone leaving no place for protests.

“How can you be so sure?” he asked.

“Because we’ll make it with love”

He raised his eyebrow and she herself felt like face palming for the cheesy line, but the way he smiled right afterwards made her wonder if there were indeed some truth to the saying.


	16. Friendship

Ship/ **Brotp** /Character: Yuzu + Gongenzaka

 **Prompt** : _Friendship_

 **Words** : 525

* * *

There was something about hearing Yuzu sing that always made him feel at ease and content.

It was once of those rare moments when they found themselves together without Yuya around, not because they had ditched him or anything, they were just in charge of the class cleaning duty of the day.

Yuya had argued that he would stay to help, but both of them had reminded him that they couldn’t let the Yuzu’s dad and the duel school alone with the kids, so he had begrudgingly taken off.

Of course no more than five minutes after the cleaning started and a soft humming reached his ears, then some lyrics were added to it:

 _♪_ _♫_ _Hey tell me what_ _’_ _s your favorite song…_ _♪_ _♫_

Gongenzaka didn’t knew the song, nor the interpreters but he did knew Yuzu had a really nice voice worthy of the school choir, which she had ditched for this. 

 _♪_ _♫_ _let’s have the greatest day ever_ _…_ _♪_ _♫_

He continued with his part of the cleaning but also listening to her singing, and at some point started to hum the melody in his head.

Yuzu on her hand was expertly alternating the cleaning with some dance-like movements and at moments it seemed she was using the sprayer bottle as a make-believe mic which earned him a chuckle.

After a while he had allowed Yuzu to sit on his shoulder in order to clean the upside windows that none of them could reach in no moments had she stopped her singing:

 _♪_ _♫_ the teachers don’t know anything at all! … _♪_ _♫_

Once she signaled for him to let her down she pulled him by the hand to the center of the classroom and before she could utter a word he sang:

 _♪_ _♫_ _you don’t want to tell anyone? But you should say something! …_ _♪_ _♫_

 _._..Just to immediately feel the heat of embarrassment rise to his neck, unlike hers his voice was gruff and awfully out of key but rather than laugh at him or even being annoyed she blinked once and made a gesture for him to join the last verse with her:

 _♪_ _♫_ _it’s okay, say it. You can let me know._ _♪_ _♫_

There was that strange calm at the end of the song again and both Yuzu and he shared a laugh over the silliness of the situation.

“Hey Gongenzaka maybe you should join the choir, we could use some baritones.” she said, not a hint of sarcasm or teasing.

“I appreciate the offer but my duties at the dojo take enough of my time as it is.” he said, feeling truly sorry that they couldn’t do this type of things more often.

“Maybe later I can go to the dojo too? I could use some practice” she asked.

“Be my guess I’m sure there will lots of people willing to take on the challenge.”

“But …maybe we can just hang out too?” she asked a bit of a coyish smile on her face.

“Of course! You have the word of the man Gongenzaka!”

Yes, Gongenzaka was fortunate of having such great friends.


	17. Vampire AU

**Ship** /Brotp/Character: Predatorshipping

 **Prompt** : _Vampire AU_

 **Words** : 527

* * *

“What are you? A vampire?!” she yelled at him.

“Oh? And what makes you think that?” he asked back and turning around, and Serena couldn’t help the chill running down her back, he was always tidy but tonight he looked particularly sharp dressed.

He was wearing dress pants and shirt along with a purple embroidered vest and even his shoes looked like they had been polished with extra care, it made him look much older than he was, and much more mature than the teasing boy who loved to make people angry or squeamish.

But she wouldn’t let him get away with it this time.

“Yeah I wonder why” she spoke taking a sit next to him.

“So if I’m a vampire, are you Mina? Or maybe Lucy?” she asked looking over to what amounted to be the most formal thing in her closet: A short red and black pant skirt and a slightly worn out white shirt. “Never mind, you are no lady-in-waiting” he said with a smirk.

“Like you’re one to talk, it’s a school dance, not a ball.” she directed, maybe that’s why he was here in the garden; people had made fun at him for his ridiculously over the top clothes.

“Yeah, I miss those times” he said almost in a whisper.

“What?” 

“Kidding” he said in a chuckle, but then he got up and positioned in front of her, his hand reached out. “Care for a dance?” 

 _‘Why not?’_  she thought taking his hand, much to her annoyance Yuri was the only one in their class who didn’t trip all over themselves with a simple waltz.

He directed her towards the center of the gardens, and led the first step, every swirl and step made with an almost catlike precision, and she would know having attended dancing lesson since kindergarten, but she never saw Yuri in any of the dancing classes or clubs.

Still he moved like someone who had danced all their lives …and beyond.

 _‘Stop thinking that, stupid’_  she said shaking her head.

When the piece was over, he had the gall to make a small bow to her but before she could tease him about it, he looked at her straight in the eye with such…fondness? Nah, her eyes must be playing tricks on her.

“Thanks for the memories” he finally spoke placing a kiss to her hand, and she would have freaked out again if it wasn’t for his full-blown laughter, she felt like punching the lights out of him.

“You little-” 

“Haven’t I told you Serena? Don’t ever take my words at face value.” He said and Serena had to turn away because in the moonlight she could swear there was a inhuman glint to his eyes along with the little fangs peeking through his lips.

 _‘Fangs?!’_  and she turned around to face him again… only to be met with empty air.

That was the last time she ever saw him around the school and it would be a long time before Serena found out that, there was no ‘Yuri’ enrolled in the school, except for the one from the very first generation over 200 years ago.


	18. Ghosts, Snails, Pink

**Prompt: Ghosts, Snails, Pink**

**Words: 434**

* * *

“So, you’re up Sawatari, what would you prefer? Stay up all night in a cemetery or …wearing a clown wig for the rest of your life?” said Sora after thinking it for quite a few minutes

“How come I’m the one who has to go sleep with ghosts? Can’t you give me something else?” he all but begged.

“Nope, that’s the whole point of the game, now choose” Sora was now grinning very much proud of the tailor-made question.

Gongenzaka, Yuya and Yuzu were on the other hand trying to decide if they should break it off before they ended up calling too much attention to themselves.

“…Don’t be such a baby I had to choose eating snails for a whole week!” hollered Sore clearly getting impatient. 

“Oh, please yours was easy! I would also prefer eating snails than renouncing duels you know?” 

Then Yuya watched as Yuzu and Gongenzaka stood up, her hands on hips and a self-assured smile,  and him crossing his arms ready to but in as well, and he could feel himself sigh in relief surely they would call this off and be the sensible ones before they ran out of lunch time-

“Sora is right, what about me? Now you know I’d prefer running a hundred laps before eating spiders.”

“And I the man Gongenzaka torn myself over joining the theater club and playing Romeo or coming to school in my underwear which you asked.”

Or maybe not, also Yuya had never though that Gongenzaka would have a thing for school plays.

“But-”

“You have no excuse.” said Sora nodding.

“It’s not fair your all just ganging’ up to me an-”

“Just answer the question!” demanded Gongenzaka.

“Augh you guys are impossible! Fine I would rather wear the wig!” he yelled stomping his feet and dropping into a sulk.

“Now that wasn’t so bad was it?” said Yuzu satisfied.

“I can agree not wanting to disturb a sacred place” said Gongenzaka.

“No, I’m just afraid of ghosts…” said Sawatari in a small voice.

“You’re up Yuya! What do you prefer? Giving away your mom’s pets or dying you hair pink?” asked Yuzu.

“That’s easy: pink hair.”

“Well done Yuzu, that was way too easy” grumbled Sora.

“What? Why?” 

“There nothing wrong with pink hair, your hair is pink, and look fine” said Yuya.

There was a silence for a whole minute before both Sora and Sawatari broke into a guffaw fit with Gongenzaka looking very awkward.

“Bwahhahaha! Look now both of your faces are pink!” 

After a fan attack Yuya and Gongenzaka agreed to never play that game again.


	19. Earth, Leaf, Drizzle

**Prompt: Earth, Leaf, Drizzle**

**Words: 351**

* * *

The house was really quiet except for the constant pitter-patter of the rain on the roof and the windows, it managed to make Shun aleepy and he drifted into sleep for an unknown number of hours….

…until he heard stomps down the hallway and his bedroom door started to bang loudly.

Maybe if he pretended to continue sleeping the noise would go.

Of course the moment he thought that the door slammed open letting inside a furious mass of purple hair and pastel fabric.

“I knew you were up!” Ruri exclaimed in a so-plased-with -myself voice.

“No I’m not” He said turning over to make his point clear.

Of course that only meant that he was now being dragged on the floor by his little sister who had seemingly not heard the heavy thump his head made when it hit the floor.

———————————–

“See? I told it was nothing but a drizzle by now.” Ruri said when she finally succeeded into making him step outside, apparently she had made all that fuss to take him to a walk in the park.

“It doesn’t change the fact that we are getting wet.” …and they could probably be sick too, but she didn’t need to hear that.

“Don’t be such a baby we used to do this all the time remember? Watch the first leaves of autumn.”

“We’re not children anymore.” he said grumbling.

“Says the overgrown child pouting next to me.” she countered with a smile. “Don’t you just love the smell of wet soil after it rains it’s so fresh.”

“Fine, of course I love the smell of mud.” he bite out. “Can we go back now?” and just saying that there was something wet and sticky on his hair:

A half-dried leaf.

_*Click*_

“Yep, we can go now” Ruri said holding her phone and running away.

Wise move since he was now chasing after her too.

“Give me that!”

“Nu-uh, I’m showing it to Yuto and everyone tomorrow!” she said between pants.

By the time they both reached their house Shun out of breath, both from the run and from laughing.


	20. Foam, Glitter, Mercy

**Prompt: Foam, Glitter, Mercy**

**Words: 324**

* * *

 

Serena had never thought the sea was that great, after all she had spent the better part of her life staring at it from a window, always blue, always flat, always dark and muddy-looking from the distance.

But when she got to actually sink her feet in it at the beach she thought she could finally sort of understand.

Sure the sand felt raspy at her feet and the salty smell of the sea was not entirely pleasant - she didn’t hate it either though - but there was something exhilarating about feeling the water in between her toes and the foam on her skin felt so refreshing.

The night sky made the sea look like the Milky Way was on the very bottom of it.

“I thought you may like it.”

At her back Yuri was leaning against the  _‘borrowed’_  jeep they had used to ride here.

“I do, aren’t you getting in? This was your idea.” she asked only to be met with a scrunched nose and a frown.

“…Fine.” He said taking off his boots and jacket, and Serena had to swallow a snarky observation on the neat way he was folding the jacket, but it would be hypocritical on her side since she still found herself following the Academia daily routine with the utmost precision.

Old Habits die hard after all.

* * *

_‘Don’t you despise me?’_

_‘Yes’_

_‘You loathe me then?’_

_‘With every fiber of my being!’_

_‘Then get on with it! Aren’t I a traitor? You won! Make me your prisoner! Take me to the Professor! Card me! Anything!’_

_‘…I can’t’_

* * *

“Serena?” she heard him ask, already on the water next to her, he looked hilariously uncomfortable.

“…I was just thinking.”

They didn’t do much of anything on the beach, nor had any heart to heart talk, but she knew that from now on the sight of the glittering sea would be one that she would always associate with him.


	21. Happy, Afraid, Sad

**Prompt: Happy, Afraid, Sad.**

**Words: 447**

* * *

“At attention!” the sergeant shouted.

And just like they were supposed to they all stood upright, Dennis already knew the stance by reflex: square shoulders, arms handing straight as possible heels together and feet angled to a perfect 30 degree angle… there was more but as stated Dennis knew it by heart to the point he didn’t have to checklist the requirements in his head anymore it came naturally to him.

“Salute to the front!”

And so he-they did in perfect synchrony to one of the high officers, not much older than Dennis himself but title outranked age in Academia, and the nod he gave him and the rest a dose of pride and happiness.

“Stand Easy and…. Break formation!” shouted at last and without making a fuss or looking too eager they all waited until the Sergeant was out of sight and finally relaxed and broke the group.

The morning drills were over and had the rest of the day for themselves.

Not that there was much to do anyway, some of them had sneaked snacks, packs of cards and even alcohol and had some manner of poker nights, but it was reserved for the oldest accomplished member, the younger ones like Dennis and his dorm mates usually had nothing to do but catching up to studies, make some casual dueling that doubled as practice, schedule matches in the arena.

Practice, practice and more practice.

Still Dennis had to wait until his dorm room was closed before releasing the sigh that had been forming in his chest since… well he had lost count of the days at some point.

He sat on his bed and started his routine: shower, cleaning the room, check in the borrowed books from the library, visit some friends on the other dorms, make some five minutes chit-chat, head back, get ready for sleep, folding carefully his clothes and double, no triple checking the alarm.

Before he could set himself in the bed though he heard them: a door was forcefully open, then some struggling was heard and muffled shouts and screams, then silence, awful, tarrying silence.

_‘A Traitor’_

Dennis already knew the routine: tomorrow there would be an empty room in the dorm for no more than a couple hours before it was assigned to someone else, and the past occupant would never be heard off again.

Without making a sound he laid down on his bed despite knowing that this would be one of his sleepless nights, he didn’t toss around the bed, didn’t spill any tears or prayed to anyone, he just reassured himself that he would never, ever be in their place.

Not if he could help it.


	22. Chocolate, White, Fall

**Prompt: Chocolate, White, Fall**

**Words: 371**

* * *

“Here I brought you all dango and hot chocolate.” They heard Yoko say from below the blanket and pillow fort they built.

“Thank you!!” they all responded in unison and taking one sweet and cup each.

“Make sure not to stay up too late.” She said closing the door behind her.

After they settled themselves in their places again they waited for the clouds to clear out, finally giving space to the moon the thought made Yuya feel his chest constrict remembering the family tradition: Going for a camp trip this time of the year.

It was not something they would be able to do this year.

“Yuya look the sky cleared out!” yelled Yuzu next to him.

She was right and the moon really did look so big and round a white this time of the year, it looked like it could land on the earth if it got nearer.

“I’ve never done this before” said Yuzu. 

“How come? You’ve never gone to none of the festivals?” asked Gongenzaka.

“Nope.” she said sipping her cup.

“How about watching the leaves fall?” he insisted and after another shake of her head he continued. “The lanterns? The moon viewing? Um…”

“Not even to the Halloween parties?” asked Yuya in a hush.

“Uh-uh,” She said to all the questions and looked a bit less lively, “You know how Dad is always busy with the school and everything…”  _‘And her mom is not around’_  neither of them meant for her to feel bad, it was just curiosity but now… Is that why she had suggested this sleepover? Not just for them but for herself too?

Until recently Yuya had never considered how many family activities one would miss when you only one parent at home, always making sure things run smoothly, that you have everything you need…  always busy.

“You know my Dad always organizes trips to the mountain for the dojo this time of the year, I’m sure I can convince him to let you join” Gongenzaka spoke after a moment.

“That sound great!” Said both of them and smiled at him.

“Then it’s set up.”

Maybe there wouldn’t be festivals or camping trips for them, but together they would never feel alone.


	23. Desire, Revenge, Satisfaction

**Prompt: Desire, Revenge, Satisfaction.**

**Words:248**

* * *

Regret, it was a word Yuya had always associated with feeling sorry for your wrongdoings and wanting to make up for things, but Yuya didn’t need a book to tell him about regret, he knew about it firsthand there were so many things in his life he regretted at the moment.

He regretted not being there to help Yuzu, being incapable to sway Sora, or defeating Reiji.

But no matter how much he tried he could not bring himself to regret dealing with the Obelisk Force.

In fact he had not felt much of anything during the confrontation.

 _‘Liar’_  Said a voice in his head, and Yuya knew it: it wasn’t his voice, it wasn’t Yuto’s, then who…?

 _‘I’m you’_  No it wasn’t,  _‘I am myself’_

There was a dark chuckle at the word myself.

_‘I’ve always been here, I just couldn’t reach the surface before.’_

Then how…

_‘Because I, **you**  are finally listening, and at last, you,  **we**  are close to becoming complete’_

_‘…What do you want?’_  Yuya attempted to ask back, he hated the way he said ‘we’ especially because it sounded so  _right_.

 _‘To watch the world burn’_  it sneered in a barely contained growl. And Yuya felt a knot in his throat, because he didn’t need to ask why, he just knew it:

_‘They did this to us, to **her**.’_


	24. Insomnia, Red, Stars

**Prompt: Insomnia, Red, Stars**

**Words: 308**

* * *

_‘24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29’_

There were 29 blocks on the roof of his dorm, just like there were 37 on each of his walls, and 35 on his floor.

It should not bother him so much that none of them were even numbers.He had no choice but to look at the clock again:

Only 6 hours, 10 minutes to wake up.

Sora was trying to calm down his breathing before he realized he was on his feet, hand outstreched and the clock torn to pieces below the wall where he had smashed it against.

He should not be wasting time sleeping, or attempting to, he should be looking for Yuzu, now it should be the perfect time, everyone was either asleep or doing guard duty.

Except that he would be breaking the rules.

He sank down on the bed again and pulled off another lollipop, maybe after a while the sugar would help him sleep.

But the damned thing had to be red and pink, just like  _him,_ like _her._

This time he stopped himself before throwing his candy, his stock was running low after all.

After what seemed another hour - actually ten minutes - he gave up trying to sleep and got up.

The roof of his dorm wasn’t particularly comfy, nor the sight was any kind of magnificent, it just was.

Like he was Sora Shiunin, a duel soldier, an elite one at that, what Academia had best to offer right? But unlike before it didn’t fill him with pride anymore, it was just another fact of his life.

Even the stars were always the same, either here or in Maiami, and Sora tried to tell himself that what he felt running down his cheek was not a tear, it was water or a dew drop

It was chilly night after all.


	25. Duty

For the Praise Reiji Akaba Week 2k16

Note that this is not me trying to push the week into any specific date, but the plot bunnies visited me an demanded I wrote this, ( ~~ _What? No Nakajima prompt this must be corrected!_~~ )

##  **Day 0 - Nakajima**

* * *

When the people of Maiami City hear the name Leo Corporations or Leo Duel School, they no longer think of Leo Akaba, or maybe some do but even then its more in a passing thought than an actual memory, for that is the only thing he left behind.

No, the person in people’s minds when they heard those words are: Reiji Akaba.

In turn there are many words that come to the minds of people when they hear his name: prodigy duelist, teen genius, youngest CEO in the story, named the most successful “under 25″ by the People Magazine -appropriately composed of 25 individuals all of them topped by the young heir -, the titles under his arms are already countless, some less …prestigious than others - Most sought after bachelor? Really? - Others simply obscure - possessor of bachelor and master’s degree before turning 20 - yes the list goes on.

But there were other Nakajima was sure people would never dream to associate with him: introverted, kind, awkward, historical fiction enthusiast, domestic walking disaster, absent-minded, selfless…

Lonely, Guilt-ridden and full of regrets

Nakajima’s mind often wanders off into trying to figuring out what his boss is thinking, that it’s his job after all: always anticipate his orders, needs or thoughts; trying to figuring out his emotions was an inevitable byproduct of said habits.

There are little moments - more often seen when Reira is around - held gazes on old family photos, a motion taking a second too long to complete after someone name drops Leo Akaba or Yusho Sakaki, an order given with a different pitch, longing looks to groups of kids passing after school…

Does he muse over the lost lives of people he never knew existed? Over the inevitability of war? Does he regret not ever doing enough to minimize the damages? Nakajima can only imagine, feelings never spoken out loud, conversations that never took place… a family that no longer was.

And it may never had.

But is not the Nakajima’s job to muse over that, Reiji Akaba does not need, and most likely wouldn’t want his sympathy, so he can only do what he does best:

His job.


	26. Colors

Another one for the PraiseReiji2k16 week, this time I really did one for an actual prompt :P

_**Day 1: Reira** _

* * *

_‘Blue’_

If someone asked Reiji Akaba was does he do on his free time, it would be one of those rare moments when someone would manage to render him speechless, and not out of choice but quite literally for lack of words.

_‘Red and green’_

Free time was synonymous for walks to the park, friends outing for the mall or the arcades, a quiet evening allowing yourself not to think of anything at all.

_‘A bit of …purple?’_

Ergo it was absolutely not something Reiji had the time for, nor the interest for that matter.

“Maybe it would be better if the sun was orange.” He said pointing to the little circle on top of the paper.

“…” Reira just nodded and went to grab the orange crayon along with a black one.

_‘A yellow outline… and a smiley face for the sun’_

“I lost the pink crayon.” He heard after Reira had been looking through the table.

“…why do you need the pink?” The drawing was almost finished already.

“…It’s for…” he seemed a little red on the face now. “… For Yuzu”

“Why?…” and now the drawing finally made sense: what he thought was the sun was actually just floating smile face, the green and red smudges were possibly Yuya and there was a blue and white figure next to him with a long red line drawn in between, on the other side an incomplete figure with red, black and blue clothing and a circle of – what he assumed – was a head with blue eyes but missing hair.

“I see, let’s see if I have some in my desk.” 

Yes Reiji had no time for idling around, but it didn’t mean Reira couldn’t.


	27. Tatto, Memorial, Ribbon

**Prompt: Tatto, Memorial, Ribbon**

**Words: 423**

* * *

“How are you feeling?” asked Shun as soon as she got home.

Or at least as much of a home this tiny shared compound could ever be, it wasn’t that Ruri didn’t understood that there were more pressing matters to attend in the Rebuilding Project, but it was hard not to feel bitter once you realized all the kids and teens who were cuddled in here were orphans.

Since none of them had families, people - What  _people?_  Ruri often wondered - had decided that they couldn’t provide them space and resources needed for the injured, families and elders.

Apparently being a lauded as a war hero only lasted for so long, and didn’t afford you a place of your own, only a meager stipend per month.

“…I’m good.” she said placing her bag on the wooden floor. “How are  _you_  feeling?” 

“As good as ever.” he spoke, which wasn’t much, but since there was no disaster to greet her or bruises she could at least be sure he didn’t get another… episode.

“I bought a prayer ribbon for  _him_.”   _‘…And for you too’_  she thought.

“That’s good.” he seemeinly agreed, but she saw the tightening of his hands over the book he was reading. 

“The memorial was very unkept, but I alone can clean it you know” she tried again. “You should come too one of this days…. They will rebuild the Dueling School too.”

 _‘Should we apply to it?’ W_ as the question hanging in the air

He didn’t answer instead he ribbed his neck as if something was itching, or missing from it, Ruri knew the feeling sometimes she did it too almost ruining the elastic of many of her clothes. 

It was a strange feeling, as if it was tatooed right into their minds and flesh.

“Yeah maybe we should.” he finally said, and Ruri saw how the rubbing got more insistent until it turned to scratching for a few seconds and she motioned to stop him… but this time he stopped before she could.

“I mean… I knew about that, I spoke to Kaito today.” 

Apparently Kaito was  _still_  a hero, and it had been his words that had convinced the temporary council to rebuild the schools… to commemorate the lost ones in the war.

To commemorate Yuto.

For the first time in months Ruri felt an old – so old that it was almost weird – feeling creeping on her face, her lips tugged upwards, and Shun looked at her with a wide open mouth.

And she knew why: She smiled.


	28. Heart's Content

_‘Damn it! Damn it!…’_

_‘What the-’_

_‘Finally’_

After those simple thoughts that were quickly shunned out of his mind when he felt Ray’s hand sneaking up to hold his shoulder he simply let her lead.

There was no particular reason he was letting this happen, ten minutes after he finally found her missing goggles -  all of which he had spent overly conscious of her scrutinizing his mess of a room - then rather than take them back she had asked him if he often brought girls here.

He had been wishing he had a soda, a smoothie or even the yucky coffee she loved to keep his mouth occupied, anything to avoid answering when she had swooped up and kissed him before he could process the whole thing.

And it had lived to every fantasy he had had about kissing Ray - meaning when he finally gathered the guts to do it himself - it was forceful, possessive and it made his chest beating to a delicious pace on his chest to the point he almost feared it would burst out his body.

It was his first kiss.

When Zarc finally managed to gather himself enough to envelop her in his arms and started moving his mouth against hers, he had a moment of shining clarity: 

He was lost, after this there was no way he would ever be able to let go of her. It almost hurt when their need for air forced them to separate. 

But when she still continued to hold him close with her face buried on the hollow of his collarbone and her hands were drawing circles on his lower back, the hurt turned into a swell on his heart making him stutter and he was sure he would weep. 

 "…Why?“ He was vaguely aware that he was stroking her hair a silly effort to pull her face close to his again. 

 "You were taking too long…” she said with a low chuckle. 

Her expression - half-lidded eyes, lips parted and flushed cheeks - made him come undone. 

 He needed to kiss her again.

 **§**  

Her body was on fire.

It was all types of clichéd to even think so, but that was exactly what it felt like, her hands tangled on what was now a rattled nest of his hair, her fault mostly -  their constant fumbling around on his bed was too - and his hands seemed to be everywhere: he nipped at her neck, pinched and grabbed on her heated skin.

When she felt him pulling down her zipper she allowed it and pushed him onto his back.

He really did take too long.

**§**

If Zarc looks at his left he will see nothing but a mess of her blood red hair spread all over her back and his own chest, and if he turns to the right he glimpses their entwined hands holding tight above their heads.

It doesn’t matter.

All it matters is the way he can feel his own body stretched alongside hers, nothing standing in between them.

People often says that love is just another battlefield, that one should always pull their best moves until the other party surrenders themselves completely at you, but he realized now it was nonsense.

He knew the battlefield and its brutality.

This was nothing like that, the way he feels her writhing against him, on top of him but never once easing her hold on him, as if fearing he will disappear if she does, how his own body is both taut and unrestrained, receiving everything she’s bestowed on him and trying to- desperately so -  to give back in turn.

When it ends, they still won’t let go off each other.

Then she hums softly, almost too softly: “Kiss me”

He twist his neck slightly to meet her request, he would give her anything, heck  Zarc would allow her to plunge his chest open with a blade at this point.

.

.

.

 _“Unforgivable, I will **never**  forgive you.”_ he utters, coming undone and when his eyes look at her with nothing but pure hatred she feels herself waver.

It’s over, it has been over for quite a while now.

And Ray knows it, she accepts it because she will never forgive herself either.


	29. Cookies & Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing/Character: Fruitshipping
> 
> Prompt: Bakery

“Yuya we’re gonna be late!” she yelled when she noticed that the spot next to her was empty.

What had caught his attention now anyway?

When she turned back looking for a red and green mop of hair in between the crowds, it usually wasn’t that hard except that it was winter, a particularly long and cold winter that had forced everyone to cover from head to toe.

She had to squint her eyes at the crowds before she caught a sigh of his goggles.

“Yuya!” when she found him with his face practically stuck to glass window with some fancy English letters on it.

“Uh? Hey Yuzu look! I think this is the new bakery Sora was talking about!” he said never separating his face from the window.

“Yuya…” she stopped a little to catch her breath. “You could have said anything before-” and then she catches it, the sweet warm scent of freshly baked cookies.

“Hehe look who’s talking, you may want to close your mouth though.” Yuya said with grin on his face.

“That’s not-” she still rubbed her chin just in case. “I just had a light breakfast.”

“Sure thing.” 

Of course this was the last thing Yuya could say before he was chased down all the way from the bakery to the school.

“Finally! Lunch time!” he said stretching his arms to the air.

“Typical.” Yuzu said next to him. “Try not to choke on it this time.”

“I won’t” he whined.

“Good, if you manage I may share my treat.” she said and Yuya noticed how she produced a paper bag from behind her, with the same logo as the store.

“Yuzu… you…” as he whiffed the air, he knew she actually did it. “That place is way too expensive-” he was shut by a finger on his lips.

“Let  _me_  worry about that.” she said with a smile and despite the cold Yuya felt himself getting warm.

“Yuya are you getting sick? Your face is red” 

Maybe a little too warm.


	30. Public Service

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing/Character: Appleshipping
> 
> Prompt: Library

“So… to be clear, what you’re saying is that these…” he asked very slowly, signaling to all the books on the desk. “…Are for free?” 

He wasn’t sure why next to Rin was face palming, she better than anyone had to make sure there weren’t extra charges!

“And just to be clear, you understand that after this date…” the middle aged lady behind the desk pointed at the date on the receipt. “…you’ll have to turn them back in right? This is a library, not a store.”

Silence, the wind could be heard whistling and when Yugo’s inner voice said:  _‘Oh! I get it now!’_  he must have made something, because both the librarian and Rin were trying to withold their laughter.

“What now? What did I say?!” he asked to them.

“…It’s nothing Yugo, it’s just this is so like you.” Rin said bending slightly over the desk as she let the giggling fit to pass over.

Yugo could have been angrier if she didn’t look so pretty when she laughed, it seemed to give her some kind of glow, especially the cheeks which now looked a lovely rosy color.

“Very well, do you mind if I ask what are a couple of Co-, sorry kids like you doing with so many engineerics and car mechanics books?” she asked

“I-Rin-uh sorry what?” He said - or attempted too, tearing his eyes away from the now frowning Rin.

Yugo felt himself deflate, but he knew why: despite good intentions neither of them had missed the wariness and the way she switched her choice of words at the last minute.

They needed to be careful

“Oh! It’s nothing, we were just… um, well-” his tongue felt ten times bigger in his mouth now.

“It’s a school assignment.” Rin said immediately before Yugo’s mouth would get them into trouble. 

“Students? You two?” she asked one more time, all pretenses of kindness gone.

“Not exactly, more like apprentices, you know one has to learn stuff, to be useful and contribute to the City right?”

“…” She narrowed her eyes at them and for terrifying minute they both feared the worst. 

Then she smiled, for real this time.

“Oh why didn’t you say so before? It’s so nice to see that your kin- kids are going the right path, here let me check them out then.”

They withhold their sigh of relief while the lady scanned the books, all the way to the exit and even as the entrance guard looked at them.

“And… we’re off the hook.” Rin said after a while. “Ugh really, you’d think we’re trying to buy weapons or something.” she huffed.

“Sorry I almost gave us away.”

“Nah, its ok I think she let us go because you always look so dumb…” she said tongue sticking out.

“WHA-” 

“…But that’s part of your charm, we have to look for each other right?” she continued.

Yugo loved when Rin smiled, any time, no matter the reason but when she smiled at him, he felt like he didn’t need a D-wheel, he could fly if he wanted to.

“Yeah, we do.”


	31. Charade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing/Character: Appleshipping
> 
> Prompt: Fake Relationships

Fake relationships have always puzzled Rin to no end, the very concept of it seems so… worthless to her, she can’t believe why anyone would spend time, energy and motivations to do such thing.

Of course no one had ever told Rin that a couple years later she would find herself alone in a tower, made a prisoner for reasons unknown. With an insect crawling inside her head, messing up with her feelings, her memories her very self.

The worst thing? It doesn’t actually hurt, not in a physical way anyway.

Most of the time Rin can pretend the pest isn’t there, she tries to occupy herself fixing her bed into different positions, counting the tiles on the roof, reading the boring books on the shelf for the nth time.

But her mind always goes back to Yugo.

_“Yugo is not here, he has not come, and he never will”_

_“Liar”_

_“If I’m a liar so are you, after all **I am you** ”_

She bites back a retort, it will only make things worse, Rin has learned that these bouts of intrusive thoughts seemed triggered by feelings of fondness, nostalgy…

And love.

_“Love that never came to fruiton”_

_“We never had the chance, you, **they**  took it away from me!”_

It takes a few seconds to register that she’s yelling at her reflection in the mirror, again.

No, not her reflection, it can’t be that smile looks all sorts of wrong, her eyes look dead and she swears they glint in the dim lighted room.

_“That love is fake, I don’t love Yugo, therefore you never did, and you only strung him along.”_

_“You are not me! that is not my voice!”_

_“My voice is your voice, I am **you**.”_

 She tore herself away from the mirror, she would not let the bug win, she would never do it, as long as she keeps remembering that she was made prisoner, that Yugo would come, and that she was not alone.

_“Inside here, there is only you”_

_“No, this is my voice, not yours, mine, not you, min…”_

_“Yes only yours.”_

_“The voice in my head is mine.”_

_“Yes”_

**_“The only voice in my head is my own.”_ **

.

.

.

Rin wakes up and stares at the landscape, the blue ocean greets her as always, nothing new about that, she goes on with her tasks as usual, meals at mid-day and evenings.

Yes, there is only this room, only her inside, and only the sea as company.

Is good to be born anew.


	32. The Blessed Ones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing/Character: Zarcray
> 
> Prompt: Afterlife/Death

**_“….Ray”_ **

“Again? You’d think people have turned me into some type of deity to say my name all the time.” she complained for the nth time.

It was too funny that she said that, now that her existence, crowned in light and colors, enveloped in a curtain of flowers and feathers, and wearing the moonlight in her eyes, was the closer thing to a goddess this world would ever know.

“Isn’t nice to be appreciated… loved?” he asked, not missing the irony of his question.

**_“….Ray”_ **

“Love and worship are not the same, I’m not sure how to feel about it.” Ah, that would have been nice to hear before everything went south.

**_“…Supreme King.”_ **

“At least people remember  _your_  name.” he countered reaching to touch her luminous form, which remained untainted by his own red and black hands.

“But they don’t remember  _me_ , you do.” she said extending her hands to touch his scaly face.

“Your father surely does.” he said lowering his eyes, not dwelling on the way her blinding light soothed him.

“…My father is a great mind, he was meant to do great things, and he would have if…. I would have rather he moved forward, looked at what he had in the present and not in the past, that’s why I took his memories, everyone’s memories, to start anew.”

“Love, in all its forms will always finds a way to break the rules, even the ones made by our kind, we are fleeting things, and love is not.” he answered tearing away from her form.

“I suppose you’d know.” she said, and he could hear the smile in the song of her voice.

**_“… Ray… Supreme King”_ **

“Are you saying that you, that we are fleeting?” she asked sneaking her wings around his own. 

“Well I did say that I’d never forgive you, and yet here we are.” he pointed out keeping her hand close to  - were he still human - his heart would be.

“To be fair I was in the middle of splitting you apart.” she said as a way of saying she didn’t blame him.

**_“…Creation and Destruction”_ **

“But you didn’t …not completely.” 

“I only took the part of you that was made of bones and flesh, it was the only way.”

“I thought…” he stopped talking when she moved around to face him.

“Everyone deserves a second chance.”

**_“…Protect us, Blessed Ones”_ **

 


	33. Heat Haze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing/Character: Predatorshipping
> 
> Prompt: Confusion

Yuri hated heat, it was just so… annoying, making him sweat, his hair and clothes sticking to his skin, and worse: it made him stink

Maybe a shower would do him good, but there shower rooms were in the other side of the campus and he would have to climb four sets of stairs,  _four_ , before reaching them.

To hell with that, he could manage laying down on this bench covered by a nearby tree.

.

.

.

After a while maybe he should start regretting his decision, as the heat showed no signs to recede and the sun seemed to take forever to come down from the sky, at this point he would melt into the bench.

‘ _Uh-oh’_  Maybe he should go to the infirmary, because getting up had just made him dizzy in a way not even interdimensional travel did.

_‘Yuri’_

“Who’s there?” he turned his head back and forth worsening his mood but still, the voice sounded so impatient.

_‘Yuri! Get up!!’_

“I’ll get to it damn it!” he snapped turning to the tree where a shadow was now awaiting for him.

_‘Heck will you ever stop being such a drag?’_ the voice - now clearly feminine - mocked, hand placed on the bark of the tree.

“Stop calling me that!” he yelled at the figure gritting his teeth he forced himself on his feet and stormed to the figure.

_‘Stop being one, and I’ll do it’_  she said, features now a bit clearer, if still hidden by the shadows of the tree, he was momentarily taken aback by green eyes and a yellow ribbon.

_‘You little-’_  he was about to grab her offending arm guided by the blueish glint on her wrist.

“Sir?”

“…” He opened his eyes, and stared at his hand grabbing air, at the empty space in front of him.

“Sir? Are you-” one of the Obelisk started.

“I’m _fine_ , what do you want?” he asked never turning to face them.

“T- The Professor requests your presence.” 

“I’ll be there in five, now scram!” he yelled, punching the bark of the tree.

“Yes Sir!!” and after a few minutes of baring his ears to his surroundings and making sure he was alone.

_‘Yuri, come here!’_

He really hated the heat.


	34. Under Wraps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing/Character: Dennis 
> 
> Prompt: Secrets

“…I have betrayed Yuya, I can’t be their comrade anymore…” 

Dennis knows about secrets like the back of his hand.

He could even say that he has become familiar to its very core, to the point where he knows how to weave them from scratch, how to mold them when its needed, which are the best spots to hide them - to everyone’s sight? Beneath a smile? Or perhaps behind pretty words and compliments? - 

He even knows when the game is over and all secrets have to be unraveled.

“Don’t despair, I will tell you where they are…” 

It’s over isn’t? Dennis knows this and he accepts it.

“Rin is in the Eastern Tower,” 

Time has come to finally come clean about  _everything_.

“And you will find Ruri in the Western Tower…” 

After all a good entertainer always delivers to its audience right.

“I can’t never go back to Academia now, I’ve uncovered the Professor’s most precious secret.”

The wraps are finally coming loose, and he feels himself falling from its hold.

“I’ll pray for your success”

He wonders briefly if it should feel this… liberating, he should feel bad about everything, have regrets, and hate himself.

“Tell Yuya… tell him that my time with the Lancers, was truly,  _truly_  fun.”

And he has, for so long these feelings have stained his very being he became accustomed to them as the air he breathes.

“An illusion! Now behold my last act of entertainment!…”

And now? He’s free.


	35. Missing Link

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing/Character: Zarc & Ray
> 
> Prompt: Reincarnation

_‘Why am I in this world?’_

It is a question Zarc has yet to figure out completely, he can’t remember a time where it hasn’t been nagging at his mind, tugging and influencing every little decision he’s made.

_‘A thread connecting from his core leading to… to nowhere’_

There have been many, way too many false calls, first he thought it was dueling, back when the first whisper from his cards reached him, then he thought that fateful day where the crowd cheering for him producing such a roar that for a while… he could pretend that _this_ was the answer.

_‘An unconnected me, yet a connected power’_

Some days are better than others, some days he can ignore the now painful tug, he _knows_ the answer is near, others he can barely make it through the day without trashing his place to the last inch, until the bruises of his opponents bleed into the arena.

_‘My heart, my body, my own self is an object to be used’_  

And when he let’s go is so simple, so easy to do so that his glee blind him to everything else.

_‘To be born and die, to repeat this! How foolish’_

Then he sees her.

Blinding him briefly with her light, with her bravado as she stands in between him and his path of destruction, his path to becoming a god.

_‘This is the link that was lost’_

She duels him, and she overpowers him, and he yells of hatred and unforgiveness, because he hates this, he hates that he finally understands:

_‘You are…’_

And the last of his thoughts after vanishing are not of hatred, they are a plea, a cry for her, and only her.

_‘Look at me, our empty selves are finally living’_


	36. The Endless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing/Character: Lustershipping
> 
> Prompt: Inmortal

_She existed only inside a dream…’_

She was a vision made of elegant lines, earthly rich colors and hair made of silk, the final touch being a couple of crimson jewels in the shape of her eyes, donning an armor that shone amongst the darkest nights, and a blade that would pierce through the hardest obstacle.

She lived for the battle, on the top of a mountain sat atop with her shining armor, her sword planted in the earth making it rumble while she decided which side would come out victorious.

Which heroes would be remembered and which would be just another nameless soldier in the war.

_‘She was a poem never to be written…’_

With a colorful flush to her rosy face and her dress made of the morning sky she flew across the fields spreading her joy and bountiful blessing on the people, made of soft pastel colors, pulled out from every flower that ever existed and two set of eyes that could reflect all the hues of the earth.

She had her champions too, but instead of raising their swords and fighting in the battlefield, they imprinted their words into existence, waving them into beautiful phrases and metaphors.

Those graced with her favor would live forever in their words passed down from generation to generation.

“Oi! Long time no see.” 

Yuzu almost jumped out of her skin at the voice behind the other shelf.

“Uh? Oh it’s you Masumi!” she greeted when the other girl finally walked around the shelves to face her.

She tried not to stare, but Yuzu couldn’t help notice that her visage looked different when wearing rather casual jacket and shorts.

“What are you reading? This section is a little too far away from the Light Novels and manga section.” she asked peering at the pages on the old book she was holding.

Yuzu felt her face warm up at her proximity.

“Um, it’s a school assignment, we have to look for some foreign poems or songs” she said.

“… _A Sad love song_ … cheerful. “ She teased when she read the title.

“…Um,” Yuzu mussed for a minute before trying to focus on the words again.

“Yeah I guess.” she agreed feeling deflated. “But that’s love for you huh?” 

“Yeah if you could let go that easily it wouldn’t be love at all.” Masumi said, and before Yuzu could register it, she felt warm lips on her cheek.

A fleeting touch that was over way too soon.

_‘And in the eternity, their souls joined to create a love song.’_  


	37. Remembrance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing/Character: Dennis & Sora
> 
> Prompt: Childhood

_“Cool! Look at what my parents sent me!” a Red soldier yelled from across the dorms._

_“So nice, mine only sent me cheesy letters.”_

_“Mine are still not allowed to even call me…”_

_“Complete a mission and stop whining then.”_

Back during his days as a newcomer, Dennis had devoured on those anecdotes like starving man.

Little snippets here and there that made him think of a warm home, home-made meals and a maybe a couple of siblings to laugh, tease and brawl with, someone to read to him at night, to take care of him when he felt sick or sad.

It didn’t take too long for the yearning to turn into bitterness.

A small, tempered and realistic side of him tells him that his comrades are not in any way dangling their memories - their  _happiness_  - in front of him on purpose, that they didn’t knew how lucky they were.

_“Hey did you hear about Hana? She was allowed to have a family visit because of her grades!”_

It’s no longer as effective as it used to be.

* * *

Whe he reaches his room, Sora throws into his bed yet another letter and care package that arrived just this morning.

He already ate the cookies and read the letter, things have not changed too much back at home.

_‘Home’_

The word falls flat in his person even as he says it out loud.

Sora often wonders if he should be worried about this, about being gone for so long that you often forget how to miss people.

_‘I don’t wanna go!’_

_‘You’ll be back before you notice, be good Sora!’_

_‘Daddy!!!’_

_‘Whatever’_  he will write an answer to the next one, he decided as he dumped the letter on his trashcan.


	38. Lifetime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing/Character: Reiji & Reira
> 
> Prompt: Aquarium

“We would like to remember to ALL our visitors, that you should not lean on any of the fish tanks…”

The moment those words reached his ears Reira was quick to let himself be at least a half a foot of distance from any of the fishes.

“…As you can see these marine turtles are famous for being long-lived, our oldest specimen is calculated to turn 150 years later this month…”

One hundred and fifty years that was fifteen times his own age, and 9.3 times his big brother’s age, he looked at the turtle and even if did looked wrinkly, they all did, even the younger ones.

Odd.

“…Now this a favorite one for the kids, this is the fish tank where we have our most precious specimens…”

They were now entering a dim lighted and spacious room and Reira could see that the place was completely covered on the enormous fish tank.

“Reira are you ok?” he heard Reiji ask besides him, and he realized that his hold on his brother’s hand was too tight.

“…Uh…I’m fine.” he mustered and when he saw him reaching for his pocket - to call Nakajima - he added: “Really… its fine, I want to see them.”

Right on cue, the place seemed to be bathed with different colors and shapes on the floor and the water, some big, some small, but all of them had round shapes that had attached long threads of luminous tendrils.

Jellyfishes.

“This particular species of jellyfish is known for its sensitivity to the light, and their ability to not just glow but to cast a different spectrum of colors depending on the ph. levels of the water and…”

“They’re so…” he started.

_‘Pretty!’_

_‘Ugh they’re so slimy!’_

_‘So ugly!’_

“…Beautiful.” he finished.

“Yes… they are.” Reiji agreed looking at the covered roof. “They are thought to be able to live forever.” 

“…” He didn’t knew that, he looked at them again, they all looked so frail and mushy.

“Even though they have no bones, or brains, not even organs, they have literally nothing inside.”

_‘Nothing’_

“But because of their simplified anatomy they show no signs of age, or damage even in captivity.” he said. 

“I like them.” he said.

“…I see”

* * *

The next morning when Nakajima was debriefing his boss on the most recent news and happenings in the company he couldn’t help but notice a new addition to the austere office:

A fish tank with a white - no, not white more like… lavender - jellyfish swimming inside of it.


	39. Daybreak Reflections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing/Character: Robustshipping
> 
> Prompt: Scarred

He always looked so peaceful in the mornings.

Sheets tangled in between his legs and sort of sprawled on his stomach, one hand having found its way below the pillow he had half of his face buried into; a position that allowed her to gaze at his back and forearms.

_He lets out an breathy moan -  barely so -  right next to her ear sending tingles all over her already heated body, making her rake her nails all over the harsh lines on his body, her mouth latching onto his collarbone…_

Asuka has long let the embarrassment of remembering those moments fly under the carpet, shame has no place when they wake up sharing a bed, not during their intimacy and certainly not when she peruses at the numerous scars on his body.

Not adorning it - she would never insult him like that - but more like telling a story, one made of loss, anger and regrets.

_He pins her arms above the bed tightly, pressing all of his body and weight onto hers, searing her mouth with his in a long, slow and deep kiss that has her mold into him, welcoming his need of control - something he, both of them have lacked severely in their lives - like an unavoidable storm._

She knows Kaito will comply to her need too.

“…been awake for long?” he asks peering up at her.

* * *

“Not much”

Kaito needs to blink several times to be fully awake and a couple more to comprehend her answer, for her smile will always render him speechless.

Both in the words and the thoughts.

_They had stumbled upon her room with no decor whatsoever, tumbling with furniture and their own clothes, in the back of his head he knows they shouldn’t be so reckless, but when he feels her hands drawing line from his chest to his lower belly, he can only kiss her with abandon, thinking of nothing but feeling her come apart under or above him, and bringing her to mindless pleasure._

In the beginning Asuka had grated him to no end, despite her claim that she was no longer a soldier, the fact that she had been one permeated the very way she handled herself for the most miniscule of tasks, and he had made it his personal vendetta to make her reveal her true personality.

**_*SLAP*_ **

_Kaito only had a second to register her arm stretching over, before her hand fell heavily into his face, leaving his eardrums echoing and his cheek burning and swelling, and the way she went into a long ramble about feelings, manners and lack of consideration with her eyes narrowed and nostrils flared up made him understand._

“What are you thinking?” she asked.

“… Nothing important.” and she looked like she wanted to protest for a second or two

Yes, when he had first witnessed, a raging, coming apart at the seams, scarred Asuka was when he knew he was a goner.

“If you say so.” she simply said with a shrug, and a blindingly beautiful smile that made his heart wrench. 

But it was when she smiled, was kind to him he realized that Asuka was his weakness and strength all the same.

And if she wanted she would consume him until there was nothing left.


	40. Home is...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character / Pairing** : Appleshipping
> 
> **Prompt** : Homecoming
> 
> **Words** :457

“How are you feeling?”

Those are the first words Rin makes out when she finally comes to her senses, seconds come the bright light that makes her shit her eyes over and over before being able to fully focus on her surroundings.

“Rin, do you know where you are?” the voice asked again.

“Mmmm, the …the Facility right?” she said swallowing a bit, her mouth tasted like ashes.

“Right, right, do you know who I am?” the voice asked one more time.

“Uh…” she tried ot focus again on the room and when she caught sight of the black and white clothes of the person sitting next to her bed, holding a board next to her, Rin’s memory sprung to life: “Sister Isabel!? What? When? Where-”

The Sister’s soft and warm hands - she holds onto the memory of them a little tighter - are placed on her shoulders, she had not even noticed when she got up the bed.

“Rin listen, you are back, I was just checking your vitals and spatial awareness…” of course Rin often forgets that the Sister used to be a nurse. “ …and everything seems fine, in a couple day- Rin get back here!”

Whatever else the Sister was yelling it was lost to Rin, she didn0t stop running even if her legs felt like wool, she  _couldn’t_  stop.

_‘There it is’_

The shack looked quite same on the outside, from the rusty metallic door and its rundown appearance, to the loud creaking it got when she forced the entrance to open.

“Oi! I’m trying to work here! It has to be finished before… Rin…” 

There in the middle was Yugo holding a screwdriver, with bags on his eyes and oil in his clothes that was days old.

There were no yelling or calling out for each other, instead in once breath they were holding tight to each other, too afraid to let go, she could feel her shoulder growing damp where undoubtedly Yugo was crying and Rin herself felt like she was drowning.

The good kind for once.

“Damn, this was supposed to be a surprise” she heard him say.

Behind him there was a sight that made Rin’s breath was caught in her chest:

It was still unfinished and from here she could tell that Yugo had chosen the wrong caliber for the pipes and a valve way too big for the motor, but it was the colors which had her spilling some tears.

It was blue, white and green with specs of pink and yellow here and there.

“Welcome back” she heard him say.

But looking at him and the- theirs - new D-wheel she couldn’t help thinking that she never left.

At least her heart never did.


	41. Holiday Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character / Pairing** : ZarcRay
> 
>  **Prompt** : Matching Halloween Costumes
> 
>  **Words** : 510

“… And the one truth we know, it held true one more time… That love, true love, the really, really good kind of love never dies.” the lady closed the heavy leather-bounded book with a finalizing note.

Then she looked down and smiled at her.

“Woaahhh! So good!” she could feel her eyes widening. “But I don’t get something…”

“…Go on.” 

“Why did the Magician became evil if he was so loved?” after all the story said love was good right?

“The Magician was not  _loved_  he was  _adored_ , like an idol, a shiny prize … or a God” the lady told her.

“Oh! Then the act of true love was…”

“Oi! We’re closing already!” she almost jumped at the loud, kinda rude voice from the door. “Calm down little lady, I brought your Dad.” 

Next to the security guard stood a man maybe in his thirties wearing a yellow and orange track suit who came over and scooped the little girl on his shoulders.

“Come on Yuzu, you heard the Officer right?” he was telling her. “We’ll come ove rnext time, this time with Yuya and Gongenzaka!”

“OK Dad! That nice lady over there told me the best story ever, about a Magician who became a God, the Wise Man who was a King and the Maiden…” 

After a little while the voice was muffled by the walls in the library.

“Isn’t you costume a little … off-season?” he called out to her. “Halloween was two days ago.”

“Like you’re one to talk,  _Zarc_ ” she responded giving a nasty once-over to his uniform. “Blue doesn’t suit you”

In the blink of an eye, they shed their boring, common and mortal appearances, Ray from her middle aged librarian with red glasses and a proper bun to go, and Zarc got rid of his uniform making a show of it as it burned away from his form.

Such a drama queen.

“See? Red fits you so much better” he told her clothed once again with his dark mantle of clothes adorned with silver and green, and his golden eyes with tiny specs of red in them, he even unfolded his obsidian wings.

Ray knew how much he loved seeing her in the flesh: with her red-blood sparkling dress, hair flowing down adorned with orange flowers and candles, and her eyes which he claimed he could see every shade of blue in.

“Another storyteller gig?” he asked her and Ray felt herself being surrounded by his wings, they were always so warm.

“And more to come, if she brings her friends that is.” she told him. “They  _need_  to hear it.”

He was quiet then and even the ruffling of his wings stopped for a little too long and then Ray brought her hand to his temple.

“Maybe next time you can join me? Tell them your side of the story” she asked looking at his eyes where the flaring sun, a super nova could be seen. 

Zarc took her hand and kissed the tips of his fingers.

“I would love to”


	42. Boogeyman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character / Pairing** : Appleshipping
> 
>  **Prompt** : Haunted House
> 
>  **Words** : 548

“…And when he opened the door his wife was there! Staring at him with dead eyes!” he exclaimed holding the lamp close to his face for added effect.

Except that there was no reaction.

“…So?” One of the kids asked after a while.

“Wha- don’t you remember that the wife was dead?!” he asked dropping the scary voice.

“You said she was in the hospital” said another one.

“Where she died! Wait… did I skip that part?” he wondered out loud barely realizing that someone had turned the lights on again.

“Hmmph! You’re helpless, Rin should tell the story this time!” snorted another kid. 

“Yes, come here Rin!”

“Please!”

“Well since the audience demands it!” she spoke holding placing her hands on her hips and standing tall and proud in front of them, and she went to turn off the lights off again.

Yugo handed her the flash lamp and joined the kids too.

_“…When the rain comes, and the skies rumble with lighting they also bring the chilly wind, on a night like this, in all Facilities just like this one, with kids just like you and me, they used to be a prisons where rumors say they practiced horrible experiments on them…”_

* * *

_“…And when the last of the kids dared to look one more time at the bottom of the warehouse there was a single red glowing eye staring back at him.”_

When Rin finished there was a terrible silence in the room, and the kids were completely silent which was pretty odd because they - especially Yugo - almost never were.

When she turned on the light they were all cowered in the corner, trembling and whimpering.

Yugo was right there at the center.

“Is that true?” asked one girl.

“This place used to be where they took bad guys?” 

“And then they turned them into killing machines?”

Ok… maybe she had gotten a little too invested in the storytelling.

“Of course not, it was just a silly story now it’s getting pretty late and the Sister will ground us if we don’t go to sleep”

“Fine”

When the kids finally left one by one to their barracks, Rin felt something tugging at her arm.

“Rin.” Yugo asked his lower lip trembling and his whole body hunched over.

“Uh? Yes?” was he sick? Hungry? 

“Can I stay with you tonight?” He begged by joining his hands in a sign of a prayer. 

“Yugo, you know the Sister won’t let us anymore…”

“B-but-” she placed a hand to his mouth before he could continue.

“I’ll go there after the Sister goes to bed, try to keep awake until then.”

The smile Yugo gave her, was glowing and he almost looked like he wanted to cry, as he practically skipped over to his room, now Rin was left alone in the common room to wait as the rain calmed down, she knew Sister Isabel would want to know why the kids wouldn’t be sleeping well tonight so she used an old cloth to cover herself and go to her office.

And maybe Rin had really got into the story a little too much, because she could swear there had been a shadow moving in between the shacks and the bushes.

Yes, it was just that a shadow.


	43. A Hallow Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character / Pairing** : Predatorshipping
> 
>  **Prompt** : Halloween Party
> 
>  **Words** :428

“Need some company?” a voice asked from behind, Serena didn’t need to turn to see who it was.

“If I needed or wanted company I wouldn’t be out here” she grunted, when there were no more questions or snide comments she allowed herself to sigh in relief.

“What are you even wearing anyway?” he asked now leaning on the rail next to her.

“Dunno, Yuya’s mom insisted way too much for me to wear it.” she said

It being a flowing midnight blue dress with lots of embroidered glitter - which she also applied on her hair along with a crown made of stars-, a half-moon rested on the front of the dress like a crest. 

 All of the sudden there was giggle which then turned into a full-blown laughter coming from him. 

“What’s so funny?” she asked teeth gritting.

“I’m trying to decide if its Yoko-san sense of humor or you cluelessness” he said in between laughs it was only when he bent down, still laughing; that she noticed he was wearing a really weird costume too:

It was a simply purple tunic with leopard motifs and on top of his head was a wreath crown.

He looked ridiculous.

“I know what you’re thinking, let’s just say that Yoko-san is very persistent” he said when he caught sight of her mocking grin. 

“Isn’t too chilly to go around wearing a  _sheet_?” she said instead.

“Good one” he admitted, straightening his posture on the rail and looking at the night sky “How have you been?” 

“As good as any other day” Serena found hard to focus on her thought when he was so close.

“That’s not saying much” he said, eyebrow raised.

“I know” 

“I going back inside, it’s really is cold out here” He turned and despite herself her eyes followed up his every movement, he stood on the door a little too long before speaking again: “Do you plan staying for long?” he asked again. 

And Serena knew he didn’t meant the balcony, he didn’t meant the party.

He meant in Maiami City.

“…Probably” she said and noticed the grip on the door handle tightening, but a sigh was her only answer.

“Best of luck then.” Yuri said before disappearing in the crowd of the party.

Tonight was Halloween, or so Yuzu said before, a night where old deities and spirits come out and play with the mortal lives, where one had to make offerings to them in exchange for protection.

Looking at the full moon she snorted, maybe the gods should mind their own businesses.


	44. It's All Fun and Games Until...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character / Pairing** : Sora + Yuzu (Brotp)
> 
>  **Prompt** : Bobbing for Apples
> 
>  **Words** : 473

“Are you sure you can walk with that costume?” Gongenzaka asked after Yuya almost tripped for the fourth time with the coattails of his dragon / magician costume.

“I could ask you the same” Yuya said with a dismayed voice as his hair was stuck into one of the cuff his mom made for him.

Ah yes, Yoko-san had really seem devoted to make everyone’s party costumes, and he really meant  _everyone,_ as he too was confined into an armor like costume made of stifling fabric.

“Well, at least they seem to be having fun” said Yuya after looking at Sora and Yuzu still on the ring tosser.

* * *

“Mmm, come on come on” she muttered to herself. 

 “I’m still waiting Yuzu” said Sora all to satisfy with himself. Of course since had already tossed his ten rings right on the neck bottles; Yuzu only needed to miss this one and she would lose miserably. 

No way was she going to let that happen. 

  ***swoosh***

 So she let up to luck this time. 

 For 5 dreaded seconds she saw how the ring stagger on the bottleneck but it stayed put on top of it. 

 “Another point for the girl… err technically.” Yuzu’s whole body shook with relief at those words and she turned to meet Sora pouty frown with a grin of her own. 

“Pfft, that was matter of luck  _technically_ , how about another round?” he asked scratching his neck again, the fur-like fabric looked extremely uncomfortable.

 “You’re on” she said and the little bells on her dress tingled at with motioning.

“Unfortunately kids I’m not, I don’t think  _anyone_  here is” he said pointing to the annoyed kids behind them “You’re gonna have to scram and bother other vendors.” the man said running his neck.

“Hey how about we got to that one?” said Yuzu pointing to the one on the extreme left, with no people in it.

* * *

“How exactly did  _this_  happen?” asked her Dad when Yuya and Gongenzaka brought her and Sora on their backs respectively.

“They were having a competition.” answered Gongenzaka. “About how many apples they could bob up” 

“Maybe the water went from their nose to their brains” grumbled Yuya.

“…Or maybe it was all the apples they ate after the vendor ‘gifted’ them in order for them to leave.”

“How can anyone get sick on apples?” asked the old man.

“Sora convinced Yuzu of covering them on candy, caramel, chocolate…” Yuya said counting with his fingers.

“Worth it, I-I won” said Yuzu with a low grumble and looking like she wanted to puke.

“What exactly did you won, other than fast track to diabetes and a possible banning from the Halloween Party?” asked her Dad

“Now Sora has to wear his costume for a whole week” she said before finally falling asleep - or unconscious? - Again.


	45. A Freezing Flame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character/Pairing** : Dennis & Sideshowshipping
> 
>  **Prompt** : Cold
> 
>  **Words** : 540

It was cold.

That was Dennis’ first thought when he was brought back, it wasn’t to spare a thought to the fact that he was clearly in some type of confinement, nor that he was surrounded by strangers - some of them wearing lab coats others carrying weapons - nor the fact that in the distance he could see the landscape of Maiami City.

He could only think how cold it felt and how much he wanted to go back to rest.

.

.

.

Day in and day out Dennis manages to spend the hours either by doing some reading, doing some solitary card tricks, or trying to figure out ways to sneak out off group therapy, or even individual therapy.

Pantries and janitor closets did the trick until the nurses caught on it and alerted the employees.

.

.

.

Dennis has never been one to dwell on the past, something that people would not likely believe given his story, but it’s true: he likes to keep his body and mind in a rush, going from one place to another, from one new skill or hobbies to the next.

Hopping from groups of friends to friends, maybe one day if he tries hard enough, the past will stop chasing him.

.

.

.

Even after he is released he doesn’t take long into realize that he is still under watch, either by the wary looks the landlady gives him or through the still obligatory therapy sessions at the Maiami Hospital Facilities, where the counselor sometimes calls him Danny.

He is used to it, the LDS people is mistaken if they think they can inflict fear or paranoia with these flimsy security measures, he lived and breathed the Academia life, where any failure minimal as it were, would stain your records forever.

Especially not when he survived being Yuri’s partner -  he often has fun letting the counselor think what they want about that statement - to his whims, temper and rage.

.

.

.

When Dennis catches a sight of any of the Lancers he ducks and hide.

He has little shame in admitting it, he is a coward, he’s always been one, he is hardly a stranger to the fact, cowards are slimy and distasteful so he convinces himself that he’s only saving them from the annoyance of dealing with him.

He notices a tall figure staring holes in his back, he is going to ignore that too.

.

.

.

"I the man Gongenzaka demand that you open this door immediately!” the booming voice said outside his modest apartment, and Dennis is most definitely not planning ways to use the window and the landlady’s son skateboard to make an escape.

By the time he manages to open the window - stuck for all the rust - Gongenzaka is gone.

.

.

.

He is back at the streets.

Gongenzaka was doing his morning drills when he caught sight of a familiar figure setting up a small stage in the middle of the park, there are already some kids waiting for him to start and his entrance is as flashy as ever that he manages to hear it from the other block:

“It’s Showtime!”

He sighs as he continues his usual route, maybe one day Dennis will allow himself to be Dennis outside the stage.


	46. Picnic Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character/Pairing** : Smileshipping & Instituteshipping
> 
>  **Prompt** : Wine Tasting & Pumpking Spice
> 
>  **Words** : 523

“I can’t believe you convinced me of this” he told Yusho after they finally reached their meeting place.

Right in the middle of Maiami Park, after they both had to run from a hungry dog and Leo received a Frisbee right in between his eyes.

“Neither can I!” he said with a laugh while he looked at the clock, “Uh? They should already been here”

“…Maybe the bus got stuck in traffic” he grumbled.

“Since when are you so… understanding of delays?” After all the first time they met Leo had slammed the door on his face for being 1 minute late.

“Since never” he admitted in a low voice and Yusho had to bite his lip for not to laugh “What?!”

“…Nothing.” 

“Then stop smiling like an idiot!” 

“My apologies the bus driver was too incompetent.” said a voice saving him of guffawing on Leo’s face.

“Oh Himika! That’s why I told you I could bring us in my old bike” spoke Yoko a little behind her, how could she outwalk his wife with those high heels it was still a mystery to him.

“Sorry but I was in no mood to ride a deathtrap on wheels” she spoke. “Did you bring the food?” she asked now to him.

“Uh-uh yeah I did! It was quite a mission to get this guy.” he said pointing at Leo who was currently face-palming “To choose anything else than cup ramen, but I managed”  

“For what is worth I think we both have sh- bad taste in food” Leo intervened. “We ended up enlisting help from the employees” 

“A wise move.” Himika agreed. “I’m was in the office all day so I feel quite …avid.” 

“Oh and look Himika brought some wine!” Yoko said pulling a bottle of expensive looking wine from behind Himika.

“Since it seems to be in season it seemed appropriate” she said opening the food basket. “Care explain why is everything pumpkin flavored?”

“Oh Yusho you remembered my favorite!” Yoko exclaimed pulling him into a tight hug and everything was fine in the world until he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“He didn’t, in retrospective it was a bad idea to shop during a pumpkin goods sale.” Leo said looking with distaste at something that looked like an orange loaf of bread. 

“I think the cashier made a fool of you” spoke Himika again.

* * *

“In retrospective it wasn’t not wise of me to bring wine either.” she said when the loud laughter and smooching of Yusho and Yoko reached her ears again.

“Don’t be hard on yourself, who would have known they are both such light weights?” said Leo munching on another muffin.

Himika had to agree that it was the most acceptable food, even the pumpkin spiced cake wasn’t half bad, not too sweet or sour.

Of course that the sugar only seemed to help the now drunken couple to act even more foolish as they were now giggling at a bunch of dogs fighting over a Frisbee.

“Don’t tell Yusho this but this day wasn’t half bad.”

“Agreed, although I doubt either of them will remember a thing.”


	47. It's a Long Way Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character/Pairing** : Janushipping
> 
>  **Prompt** : Foliage Viewing
> 
>  **Words** : 566

The leaves where falling early this year.

Dennis had never given himself time to go see them, he never thought too much of the seasons’ changing, whether it was warm, fresh, cold or heated it has always been inconsequential to him, the outside world can never reach inside his person, let alone affect him.

So he just resolves to stand around for ten fifteen minutes and go back to the building, he thinks while lighting up a cigarette.

The way the smoke burned through his nostrils always relaxed him, maybe it was because of it that he fsiled to notice the dainty figure nearing him until their shadow was ghosting over the bench he was sitting in.

“That’s a really nasty habit” a voice said in front of him. “And I swear that if you try to run, go in between the bushes for hiding or gods help me jump from this bridge into the lake I will not only follow you, I will become a thorn in your side from now on.” she spoke in a rapid-fire kind of way, with red cheecks from the cold and balled fists at her side.

Even if Dennis had had time to go through with any of these things - which he did consider, but she didn’t need to know that - he wouldn’t have been able to do it anyway for he was frozen in place.

Totally not drinking on her image, no sir.

“Are you even listening?” she asked getting on his face.

“I-Uh-wha- Yes I did.” he managed and in the back of his head regretted speaking for his last cigarette fell to the moist ground.

“Good.” she put a respectable distance between each other again. “Aren’t you cold?” she asked looking at his rather light outfit - the very same she had seen him on the first time they met - 

Or was that why he got into the smoking habit? She still had the foul smell up her nose, and he  _reeked_  of it too.

“You, is your brother-” he started but she interrupted him.

“Shun is here in Maiami too, along with Yuto, but I’m  _here_  alone, I heard that you liked wandering the park until well past midnight” she stated rather than asked.

“…It’s not like I’ll get any sleep if I go home.” he said still not looking at her. “Who…”

“Like I’ll tell you so you can avoid them too,” she snorted “And something about you hiding from everyone else too… The News said that they expect snow tonight, you should go home.” she argued and when the word ‘home’ slipped past her lips she saw it:

He had no home, Ruri wondered if he ever had, the way he regarded her with such… pitiful eyes gave her the answer

“Is…Is it always useless to say you’re sorry?” he asked his green eyes looking haunted, withered, and surrounded with deep sleep bags. 

“It never is” she spoke before fully processing those words, to say it would imply she was ready to forgive him.

She wasn’t not yet, not until one of them gave the first step…

“I’m so sorry” …Ruri had never thought they would give it together.

“Yeah? You should.” she said ignoring the way her eyes burned and pulled at his arm to the way she knew his apartment was. “Come on I’ll walk you home.”

“Ok.”


	48. At the Top of the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character/Pairing** : Mechanicalshipping (Rin/Reiji)
> 
>  **Prompt** : First Frost
> 
>  **Words** : 522

“Hang on, wait just a minute” she said pacing on his office once more, it seemed something that she and Yugo shared: they could think better while moving and be far more articulated too. “Are you saying that you want me and Yugo to lead the LDS branch for D-Wheels?”

“ _Upcoming_  D-Wheels branch” he corrected. “Otherwise is correct.” he had thought long and hard about it, he had thought about offering the position to Jack, Crow and even Shinji, however being the occupied people they were, they could never afford to move into Maiami for extended periods of time.

“Ok, what’s the catch?” she asked and when Reiji was done with his musing he noticed she had planted both arms on his desk and was eyeing him warily.

“…Catch? I’m afraid I don’t follow-” 

“Don’t play fool with me, that act of the ‘caring and benevolent businessman’ may work for Yugo, but I ain’t gonna fall for it, what’s in this for you?” she asked getting even closer to his face.

Reiji couldn’t help the little gulp his throat gave at having her a little too close to his personal bubble, also because her glinting golden eyes were truly titillating.

Intimidating even.

“I see” he said adjusting his glasses and getting up from his desk. “I noticed you were eyeing up all our equipment, nothing surprising for a talented mechanic as yourself but that must leave the question?  _‘If he has all of this to his disposition why does he even need **us**?’_ ”

“Exactly, what stops you from simply pulling apart any D-Wheel out there and replicate the technology yourself, with your fancy equipment?” she pressed, eyes narrowed.

“Because I don’t want  _any_  D-Wheel” he started walking around his desk to face her. “It is my understanding you and Yugo built from scracth your own D-wheel a feat in and off itself, only a bright and inventive mind could have managed it with such scarce resources around, I- LDS  _needs_  that if we are to remain on top of Dueling evolution.”

 Rin seemed beyond words at this statement, and she looked to the side momentarily dubious - not that Reiji could blame her given their …past history - But then she looked at the landscape of Maiami City:

The massive windows on his office were already fogging up and the corner where starting to gather the first frost of fall.

“That means we would have to work closely with you right? At the top of this building?” she asked not removing her sight from the window.

“Exactly, I will need  _you_  on top as well, working alongside myself”  _‘not for me’_ was the unspoken intent. 

Rin’s golden eyes had a familiar glint now that he was all too familiar with: Ambition, that need, hunger of reaching the top of the world and holding it in your hands.

“That works for me” she said after a while and smiling in a self-satisfied way that made him want to take a closer look at her.

Reiji could admit – in his thoughts freely – that he didn’t mind sharing the top of the world with her.


	49. Movie Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character/Pairing** : Appleshipping
> 
>  **Prompt** : Scary Movies
> 
>  **Words** : 347

The road opened to a dark forest filled with tall trees that looked like shadows in the dark, she kept on running aware that her chaser was still closing on her with every step, maybe if she went deep into the trees she could make it lose the trail.

That was when the girl fell to the ground after crashing onto some trunk.

But when she looked up she knew it was over: the last thing the angle of the camera showed her screaming to the top of her lungs and then the camera moved to the side, not sparing them from the sound of the brutal murder though.

Then the movie was paused and the lights went on.

“Want more popcorn?” he heard before he felt hand tapping on his shoulder, and Yugo felt shivers down his back and he retreated from the contact, trying to tell himself that the loud-pitched scream had most definitely not been his.

From the corner of the couch he peeked to see Rin her arms crossed and her face pulled into a pout.

“I knew we shouldn’t have seen this movie” she said going to the VCR. “It’s always the same.” she sighed.

“Wha- no! I wanna see what happens!!” he complained trying not to jump at the shadow he thought he saw behind the window pane. “Just…”

“Just?” she pressed her eyes narrowed.

“Stay here with me.” he said patting the seat next to him. 

Rin seemed to doubt for a second before sighing and placing herself next to Yugo.

She pressed the play button again, and every time she had to suppress a yawn, everything about these movies was so flashy - from the rubber-looking monsters, to the over dramatic screams and the ketchup-like blood - but as she settled on her preferred position and she felt him rest his head on her shoulder and aware that his hand was not-so-subtle placed behind her so he could sneak it up to her waist when he got too scared.

It was all worth it, she thought with a smile.


	50. Within You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character/Pairing** : Robustshipping
> 
>  **Prompt** : Fall Festival
> 
>  **Words** : 509

“What’s with the sour face now?” she asked him as soon as he came withing sight. 

_How you turned my world, You precious thing…_

“…Nothing” he gave her a once-over again, appreciating the dark blue yukata she wore - with stars and dragon patterns had she done that on purpose? - and her long hair picked up with a feathery hairpin.

_You starve and near-exhaust me…_

Kaito knew it, he just knew that coming to the temple accompanied by her of all people would end up in him being dragged from stand to stand, from group of people to another, mindless chat following the next one.

_Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for you…_

But everytime he thought about complaining out loud, of making some snide rude comment to one of her friends she flashed him that damn smile and he felt his tongue tied into place.

_I move the stars for no one…_

* * *

“Kaito!” she called him one more time, it had been quite a while since his eyes had been glazed over, just like she knew he did whenever he was bored out of his mind or just spacing out.

_You’ve run so long, you’ve run so far…_

He still didn’t react, so she did the one thing that would call his attention, she grabbed him by the back of his neck and kissed him and almost like an actions seared into his muscle memory -  and maybe it was - he in turn grabbed her by the waist and responded to her kiss with a surprising amount of eagerness that left her breathless, in no time they were both drinking off each other, he was the one who broke the kiss to glare at her.

_Your eyes can be so cruel_

“…What?” he _finally_ answered catching up to her little trick, but she didn’t retreat instead she pressed on and met his eyes with a glare of her own.

_Just as I can be so cruel_

“If you didn’t want to come here, you should have just said so, rather than have me dealing with your grump all evening.” she said flicking a finger to his forehead, he blinked several times before finally looking to the side.

 As if embarrased.

_Though I do believe in you, yes I do._

“…But you wanted to come.” he finally spoke scratching his neck and his lips formed what in any other person would be a put. “You said you wanted to do something fun.”

_Live without the sunlight, Love without your heartbeat_

“I wanted you to have fun too.” she said and huffed to make her cheeks look puffed. “…I’m not with you to boss you around.”

_I… I can’t live within you_

“I know, I didn’t meant…” he glared again this time not at her but at the night sky, “… I just like seeing you smile.” 

Asuka could only look down in order to hide her - probably -  tomato red face, and she could swear he looked a bit… pinkish too.

Really Kaito was so clueless sometimes.


	51. The  Ice Bell & The Sailing Beast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Pairing** : Appleshipping (If you squint)
> 
> **Prompt** : An obscure AU.
> 
> **Words** : 807

“Rin, I thought we talked about this?”

They had, yesterday at dinner, at night, before going to bed, this morning at breakfast her mother had handed her the money needed and then some more  _‘For a nice haircut.’_  she said before reminded her one more time.

And she  _had_  gone to the esthetic right after school… idling in front of it for hours - or at least that’s how it felt - before going back.

“I… promise I’ll go tomorrow.” she said still looking down, gripping on her skirt tightly.

“Never mind.” Her mother said after a heavy sigh.

And Rin lifted her eyes feeling beyond relieved, did her mother finally understood her? Why she couldn’t do this?

“Yes, I had feeling something like this would happen…” she started and Rin tried to squash down the smile with little success. “Which is why I made an appointment for the weekend and I’ll be going with you, then I can help you choose the right brand and color.” Her mother finished while she held a strand of her blond hair, “I mean you still have such a nice hair, soft, and …shiny, it would be such a  _shame_  to ruin it, don’t you agree dear?”

_‘Oh…of course’_  She shouldn’t have let her hopes up she thought as she nodded.

* * *

Yugo was restless, he always was.

But as of late that energy that his friends, teachers and the like knew him for has gone up and never stopped, that’s why he went to the gym every day, that was why he had gotten a part-time job at the car shop down the street, and how the owner had hired him.

That’s how he learned how to make a new bike from the old engine of a destroyed Harley and managed to make it look as good as new.

Better than new, the owner had said while he whistled in appreciation after the paint job had been done.

“For a guy who eats nothing but fruits and vegetables you sure have some stamina” Crow had said one day. “Maybe you need to find a purpose… are you looking for something?”

He didn’t knew why but he almost choked on an apple when he heard that.

* * *

She was eating lunch, alone, again. 

_“That’s the girl I was telling you about?”_

She had long since given up on hiding, people would always find her no matter what, and then start pointing at her and hushed comments about her.

_“No way! I thought you were kidding!”_

It was fine, she was used to it, and she just wished they would stop staring at her like some sort of… circus freak. After all,  _everything_  else about her was normal, it was just her hair that was…unusual.

_“I don’t know who she thinks she’s fooling… look at those faded roots!”_

Rin gripped her chopsticks a little tighter, she knew what followed after those comments.

_“I know right? They almost look green, and I used to think that blonde hair was pretty…”_

Green, her hair was  **not**  green, it was  _greenish_  but not green - Chartreuse, one of her aunts had  _kindly_ supplied one time - it wasn’t her fault that her hair was so unlike her parents, or her uncles and aunts, or her grandparents…

_‘It will be over soon… we’re are coming,’_

She whipped her head to the side… Who? It must be her imagination she thought she had heard someone next to her.

* * *

“Why do I have to cut my hair?!”

“Because your bangs are going to be the cause of a traffic accident one of these days.” said Crow as he dragged him down the road.

“Is this a sham? Are you gonna tell me to dye my hair too? Huh?” he accused him trying one more time to tug at his arm to no avail.

“Please your hair is arguably the least striking feature about you, stop being so whiny.” He said finally stopping in front of some ridiculously over the top esthetic that had a bunch of colorful announcements of discounts and offers on the window.

“I knew it! You are just taking advantage of me!” He yelled when he saw the 2x1 haircut sign.

“Well you can’t blame a man for trying to save- uh? Yugo are you ok?” 

Yugo barely heard Crow as he watched a sullen-faced girl next to some old woman, she was blond like him too, although she looked far better than him with it - in his opinion anyway

.

.

.

They both stared at the other in wonder, she touches her hair then maybe noticing his bangs of golden hair on th front, and somehow Yugo knows that _she_ knows - and vicerversa… probably, hopefully - that it’s not fake, and as the wind picked up.

_“It’s you… I found you…_ _my queen.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pssst, the obscure AU mystery is.... Twelve Kingdoms!


	52. The Scrapper Maiden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character/Pairing** : Serena
> 
> **Prompt** : Waiting impatiently for something. 
> 
> **Words** : 344

She is meant for greater things than…  _this_.

That’s what Serena thinks every time she is told that she is not ready and has another book on Dueling Theory pushed on her face.

She’s has always been sure of that, and she has also made sure to let everyone know about it, no matter how many times they try to shut her up, how many times the grumble about her unsavory attitude behind her back - or sometimes right on her face - or how many times they claim that she only get away with everything is because she’s the Professor’s  _favorite_.

The last time someone had dared to say that, they had had a bowl of boiling soup thrown on their faces.

The fact that had been locked down on her tower one more time afterwards had no ebbed the satisfied feeling she had gotten when the hot liquid splashed all over their silky-looking clothes.

They had it coming, even if they had a point Serena did not need the favor of anyone, if she could only be allowed outside she would prove to everyone that she was perfectly capable of making a life for herself.

.

.

.

Of course, it was like a moment of shining clarity inside the storm of thought that her mind usually was.

That’s what she has been doing wrong! Waiting around for a better opportunity to be thrown at her! What a silliness, Serena understood that better now, they weren’t going to give her one.

No one ever  _gives_  you anything in Academia, you had to earn them.

And as she ties together all the sheets of her bed into one long rope, and tries to guess if it would be long enough to reach the bottom or at least low enough for her to jump to the ground safely.

Yes, Serena was tired of waiting around, for an opportunity, for her freedom, for her  _future_.

So she is going to take it with her own two hands.

Even if it’s the last thing she does. 


	53. Drowning Sorrows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character/Pairing** : Himika and Yoko
> 
> **Prompt** : Sharing a Drink
> 
> **Words** : 645

The place was awfully quiet tonight, there wasn’t many people not even on dinning section of the restaurant, and even there most people wore somber clothing and ever more somber expressions.

As if they were all mourning.

“Care for some company?” Said a voice behind her, it shouldn’t have startled her as much as it did, but could someone really blame her when she hadn’t heard it in almost ten years?

She was too bright and too loud as well, those were Himika’s first thoughts when Yoko Sakaki took the seat next ot her on the bar, as she made signs to the bartender.

“Nothing for me” She hurried to say, she had an important meeting after this …social call so she couldn’t afford to be inebriated.

“Oh come on! Are you going to pretend you don’t need a drink? I  _know_ I do?” Yoko said gulping the first of what surely would amount to numerous sake shots.

Not that she could blame her, not at this time anyway.

“I regret the day I thought marriage would help you to calm down” Himika found herself saying while looking at her hair tied down and her very … ‘mom-like’ cheap clothes and accessories.

“And i regret the day when I thought that your marriage would help you get that stick out of you-”

“Must you always be so crude?” 

“Only when I’m around stuck-up jerks.” she said, a blush already tinting her cheeks, right, Himika had forgotten that Yoko was such a lightweight.

Just like Yusho.

_‘Meaning that I will have to drive her home’_  she thought trying to remember her address, the new one after they got a kid, not the old apartment they shared.

But it was useless, by then she and Yusho had cut out all business ties.

“Why did you call me here? If you were in need of a drinking buddy, I’m sure some of your old gang  _girlfriends_  would be glad to join you.” Himika spat out, she had better things to do with her time anyway.

“Maybe… but they would have wanted to party all night and Shuzo-kun can only handle Yuzu and Yuya together for so long.” Yoko spoke - after taking yet  _another_ shot - and Himika felt a vein pop.

To hell with this night and any lingering  _guilt_ she felt at seeing Yoko’s engagement ring washed out with those words, she wasn’t about to let herself being  _anyone’s_  second to last choice.

So she motioned to stand.

“…And I wanted some advice.” said Yoko in a slightly less slushed voice. “I mean… we sure know how to pick’em right?” Yoko said.

Right, their friendship had always been a strange one, not much to share in common, either personalities, likes or dislikes, or even spouses.

Until now that is.

“I suppose.” Himika said letting herself fall into her seat again. 

“I mean I know I have to focus on support Yuya, I mean he has always been so sensitive, who knows what this is gonna do to him? And that’s what everyone has been telling me  _all day long_  but… Do you ever get over it?” Yoko asked. 

Himika had never met their son, but her mind instantly reeled to Reiji and the bags under his eyes, the way he tensed every time some mentioned Leo, and the unshed tears she saw herself force to take away.

“…Some days are better than others, but… no, you don’t” 

“And then what? Or you just always seat there? Waiting for someone who may never come back?” 

“Of course not, don’t ever give anyone the satisfaction, after all …you are here right?” she answered, 

“And so are you.” Yoko said raising her glass.

Himika sighed before calling the bartender, and begrudgingly pleasing Yoko tacit request with a glass of wine.

They could call Nakajima to drive them home anyway.


	54. Shaping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character/Pairing** : Yuya Sakaki
> 
> **Prompt** : Someone’s greatest fear. 
> 
> **Words** :377

Yuya’s fears have always been out there in the open.

When he was little there were no reasons for him to hide them, just almost no child feels the need to do so, for their parents are to give them a safe space where they can share so they can teach their child to face the, to shield against them, to dispel them.

Or like Yusho, how to laugh at them.

As it was Yuya grew, and his fears grew with him… no that wasn’t the right word, it was more like his fears… evolved with him - again, just like little children usually do too - Where he once feared the monster under the bed, or inside the closet he now fears the more shapeless and unknown darkness, where he was once wary of being lost -  or lost something precious to him - he know fears being left behind -  by his family, his friends, the world - all alone.

Now rather than fear loud noises, he fears the deafening silence.

And if Yuya was a normal child, the next stage of his growing would have brought him it, new changes and with them new fears.

Instead his father disappears and Yuya cries while yelling at the unfairness of all of this.

His growth stagnates, but strangely enough his fears don’t, the old ones don’t disappear or change and they press against his consciousness just as strongly, instead they pile up with the new ones:

Such as being a loser, a coward, being laughed at.

Yes, if Yuya Sakaki was a normal child with normal parents and a normal life he… would still have fears, everyone fears, but they would not define his person, they would not line his thoughts and feelings with red, white and black.

Oh, did I forget to mention  _one_  last fear?

Fear of losing himself, of not accomplishing anything meaningful, of becoming nothing in a sea of faceless masses where he drowns after tiring himself and not finding a helping hand, a shore or a light at the end of the tunnel.

To be fair that particular fear does not belongs to him, most of the time he even forgets that it’s there.

Right where Zarc planted it, biding his time.


	55. Distorted Reflection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character/Pairing** : Dennis Macfield
> 
>  **Prompt** : Broken Glass
> 
>  **Words** : 313

Dennis is not fond of mirrors.

In his defense, is not like Academia encourages its use beyond the strictly necessary: checking for anything out of place on the uniforms - stains, loose threads,- or your body - dirt, a strand of hair out of place - and then you put it away again until the next day.

_‘Mirrors encourage vanity,’_

And vain thoughts encourages selfishness, individuality, none of those things have a place at Academia and its noble mission, and in an almost ridiculous show of ‘making and example’ his memory can’t no longer recall the voice, the face or even the name of the person who first told him this.

The first time he had to stand into a full body mirror - he was so… uncultured that he wasn’t aware that people made those, to what purpose? - he had had a hard time staring at his reflection for more than full five minutes -  the usual given time to fix oneself - he wants to cover it, to hide from it, to break it into tiny little pieces.

He could only think about how very… ugly he found himself - _‘no good, no good that is a vain thought, no good…’_ \- his hair a shade of orange that didn’t match well with his uniform or anything really, his lanky body with two arms hanging too long for it, a large nose that maybe it wasn’t so bad for they deterred attention from his sunken eyes and the mole under them.

He had learned to tolerate the feeling, just like he tended to accept all the unsavory things in his life, with a shrug and a quiet resignation.

Oh that’s how it was supposed to be, he thought as he noticed the crimson stains on his bathroom floor

Right where he stepped on the broken glass shard of his mirror.


	56. Winning Move

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character/Pairing** : Zarcray
> 
> **Prompt** : A Stolen Kiss
> 
> **Words** : 578

“Uh? Why are you smiling? You just broke your winning streak?!” his manager was yelling at him again - no surprise there - but this time Zarc couldn’t find himself to care in the slightest. “Which i might add it’s literally the one thing you have, oh I meant you  _had_  going for yourself!”

The only thing Zarc cares about now is finding out everything he can about  _her_ , but he still feels annoyed by the guy saying that he only had  _one_  talent.

“You know I can hear the-”

“Yeah, yeah you can hear the ‘voices of monsters’ you never get tired of telling me or anyone with ears about  _that_.” he stopped to give his cigar another smoke and Zarc had to purse his lips for avoiding the ‘…And they can hear you too’ retort.

After all, this man was still the reason he got a monthly salary meager as it was at the moment.

“Look I know nothing about hokey pokey legends or beliefs but what good are these ‘voices’ when you still lost?” He asked.

For once his silence was not due to his restraint, he really had no excuse for his loss today.

No the reason had physical body -  a lovely one at that -, the bluest eyes he had ever seen, a red flowing hair - that he would give anything to see out of her twin pigtails - and a  _very_  sharp tongue and wit that had called his attention from before the duel even started.

“What’s her name?” he asked taking the chance to mask his interest as just a routine measuring up of your opponents.

“Akaba, Ray Akaba,” He rubbed his temple at his clueless face “ _The Speeding Diva_? I’m surprised you didn’t heard from her before, she is sort of a celebrity for having been the youngest Pro duelist in her time, and her father’s rese-”

“You think you can arrange another duel?” He interrupted, his mind in repeating her name in a loop, so fitting. “You know… for payback,” He added quickly.

His manager stared at him thoughtfully before guffawing to the point his belly moved along with his mouth.

“For god’s sake kiddo, she totally  _crushed_  you didn’t she?” he mocked and Zarc felt his mouth going agape and his face going red. “Forget it, do you really think you will be the first one seeking her out? She’s quite the heartbreaker.”

“But… but she..” he tried but the older man rised his hand to shut him up.

“She played you like a fiddle, listen boy, that …  _move_  at the end, was nothing but a distraction.”

And Zarc heart sank in to his stomach hearing that word, a distraction, not worthy of her attention.

Of course everything made sense now, he had her on pinch on his last turn after he managed getting her to play along with him and their monsters, then on her last turn she had used one of her winged beasts to land herself on his dragon’s long neck.

She had been running at him and he had prepared for anything…

…Except for the kiss she planted on his mouth.

Everything afterwards had been nothing but a daze on Zarc’s mind until the moments when he saw his LP drop to zero and Ray’s face on the screen being declared the winner…

His manager was right, he was such an idiot, because he had fallen for the first girl that kissed him.


	57. Lost in Translation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character/Pairing** : Brashshipping
> 
> **Prompt** : Challenge!
> 
> **Words** : 338

Sawatari was most definitely not nervous.

He never was, he was always ready for any challenge and also ready for the inevitable victory that would come out of it…  that’s right he always won, he always won, he always won-

The door of the training room was slammed open and then Serena walked inside, marching up to him and Sawatari has to gulp down seeing her there standing so close to him, with her too-green eyes and her lustrous dark hair almost tickling his nose.

“I accept!” She yelled at him taking a step back with a satisfied smile.

“You mean…?” Sawatari would pass out of happiness right there and then he was sure of it.

“Yes! I must commend you for making such a dignified invitation, I would have never pegged you as someone so… righteous” she said crossing her arms and nodding.

And he felt like he was floating his heart beating with some really catchy and cheerful music….

…Which came to a halt when Serena activated her Duel Disk.

“What are you-?”

“I’m fulfilling the requirements for your challenge!” she said holding his… letter. “Now, let’s duel!”

Sawatari saw the letter drop from her hand to the floor, where some of the flowery sentences where still visible and felt his heart drop to his feet… he really shouldn’t have taken advice from Yugo of all people.

But as stated before Sawatari would never back off from a challenge! So he activated his Duel Disk.

“I’m all too happy to accept _mademoiselle_ , but I would like to raise the stakes if you don’t mind.” and he would take any chance.

“State them then.” She granted.

“If I win we shall…” he paused for a second, maybe he shouldn’t use that word here. “You shall grant me an entire evening of your gracious company!” 

Serena looked puzzled for a whole minute before shrugging.

“Have it your way!”

Yes no one would ever be able to say Sawatari didn’t make the best of anything that came his way.


	58. Boy's don't cry... except when they do.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character/Pairing** : Fruithshipping
> 
> **Prompt** : Coming Home
> 
> **Words** : 617

Yuya was hurt.

His whole body tingled with hurt, not just his limbs and muscles, there was an ache in his heart too.

Still he made the effort to open his eyes, only to close them again when the bright lights made them sting, he would cover them with his hands, the sheets, anything, but just the thought of moving felt like too much effort.

“Yuya”

There was something on his forehead now, he wanted to complain but it was so warm and… Familiar that he felt the pain ebb away a little, he tried to open his eyes again, slowly this time.

It worked, sort of, the light still annoyed him, but it no longer hurt and when he tried to focus on the shapeless colors in front of him until they formed a figure, it looked tall but still slim and even a smell of mint reached him.

It was nice, comfy and  _familiar._

“Yuya, you’re awake…” the voice sounded less distorted this time, it definitely took on a feminine pitch and he was now aware of the golden locks of hair hanging over their shoulders clearly belonging to the speaker.

“Mom…” his voice said without permission and then he felt himself being swooped up into a tight hold, one that he returned. “I…”

“Sshh, don’t talk you still need to rest” She said releasing him, “Both of you need it really” 

Both? Who else…

His mind threw him a senseless mesh of images, feelings and memories, somehow as if they had been momentarily taken away, and he felt his chest ache even more, he placed his hands on it trying to make sense of this all.

There were constants to all of it though: Warmth, softness, rosy hues, blue eyes, a sweet melody in the background making him feel safe and back at home.

_._

_._

_._

He needed to find  _her_ , and quick, all the pain on his body forgotten - but still there pulsing - when he kicked out the sheets and the IV plugged into his arm -  he ignored the blood droplets too - not even the cold floor on his bare feet deterred him.

“Yuya! Don’t push yourself-” 

“Where is Yuzu?” he asked, no demanded. “She’s here tight? I can…” He could what? Hear her? Feel her? He wasn’t sure but she wasn’t too far away.

“You are NOT going anywhere! You need to rest! You might be the dimensional war hero but I’m still  _your **mother**_!” Yuya felt strong arms holding him not so gently anymore and he trashed and trashed but he couldn’t wriggle his way out.

“Yuya!” 

The yell echoed all the way from the hallway to …wherever this was, and it was all he needed to force his way out.

Yuya ran, his legs still hurt and stung but he didn’t care, all he wanted was right at the end of this endless hallway.

“Yuzu!” 

There was so much light in this place, he could barely make out all the shapes he kept on pushing pass and dodging until he reached an almost deserted one, right then at the end there she was.

Like him she had been forcibly dressed in white, but it didn’t matter it was her, with her pick hair, her blue eyes and her melodious voice, she was so beautiful he almost feared this was all a dream.

They both walked slowly to the other at first, then their pace was gradually picking until they both all but jumped at the other almost falling into the floor but not quite instead they both stayed in place.

Basking in the other’s presence, their light, their smell, _everything_.

.

.

.

_‘I’m home’_


	59. Hot & Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character/Pairing** : Classicalshipping
> 
> **Prompt** : Subtle Kindnesses
> 
> **Words** : 519

Reiji is a peculiar person.

That’s something Yuzu has always thought about him, not (always) in a bad way, true his train of thought and the way he overall expresses himself clashes with hers so much that she has problems figuring out what he’s thinking, feeling or what his angle is supposed to be on… certain situations.

For instance she understands why his voice is much softer when he speaks to or about Reira, but she not so sure what’s supposed to mean when he allows her to have the last word when they - usually Reiji, Yuya, Gongenzaka and/or her - are deciding which movie they want ot watch, or which attraction ride.

Nor when he ‘forgets’ that they were all supposed to pay for their share in several occasions.

Yuzu knows why Reiji doesn’t let Reira eat too many candies or stay up too late, but she fails to see why he makes a big deal out the last time Sawatari attempted to convince them of sneaking into a jazz club - something she made pretty clear she  _wanted_  to do - only to be there when they missed the last train and needed a ride back home.

Reiji has little free time so she usually understands why he can’t always make it to some appointment or outing, but she doesn’t know why she feels so bothered when he couldn’t make it to his own surprise birthday party on Yuya’s house.

But she thinks she knows why there is a huge smile on her face when he bothered to respond to her happy birthday message well past midnight.

* * *

Yuzu Hiragi is …surprisingly dense.

At least for someone whom both Yuya and Gongenzaka - and even Reira on occasions - claim to have the ability to ‘see right through you’  and to be able of facing any challenge with the greatest fortitude.

Maybe it was a matter of perspective.

It’s was not that he disagreed with them; he had been witness of the second several times after all; but on the first one… Reiji wonders if Yuya’s obliviousness was contagious or if she simply spends so much time around him and Gongenzaka that she thinks open displays of affection from people not related to you on any familial way were normal.

***POP***

It’s not his company phone, but his Duel Disk message tune, meaning that it could only be one of  _them_  - he was  _very_  wary of his privacy after all - it’s a message composed mostly of emoticons of smiley, party hats and cakes wishing him happy birthday…

It was signed ‘From everybody’ but the small animated avatar blinked at him from the screen, with those blue dots that acted as eyes, and two pink triangles as pigtails

He looked at the clock… it was no longer his birthday - he would bet on Leo Corps shares that the party mentioned had been  _her_  idea - he thought as he read the very long-winded message…

Of course there was always the chance that he is just too subtle for her boisterous self. 

He should probably answer then.


	60. A Common Agreement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character/Pairing** : Robustshipping
> 
> **Prompt** : The stars or space
> 
> **Words** : 699

The stars are always so bright here and even if he knows it’s ridiculous to feel like that, Kaito feels angry that  _these_  people are granted with such beautiful sight each night…

Ignorant of the atrocities committed by its inhabitants.

“The stars are all the same everywhere aren’t they?”

Kaito doesn’t need to turn over in order to know  _who_  is speaking, in the past few weeks he has made himself all too familiar with her.

“…” He didn’t want to agree with her, but neither had he felt like disagreeing because he would jump off this roof before admitting it out loud but in a huge metropolis like what Heartland use to be one can’t see the stars on most nights.

“Are you still not talking to me? By all accounts I should be the one giving you the cold shoulder” Asuka reminded him and he heard the heels of her booth nearing the spot he was currently sitting on.

Why couldn’t she leave him alone? Didn’t she understand that he did  _not_ want her near?

“Tch, says the one who punched me straight in the face.” he said pointedly not looking at her when she decided it was acceptable to seat within ten meters of distance of his person.

“Stated by a man who called me a ‘heartless murderer’, ‘Two-faced wench’, or how to forget the ‘Entitled little b-”

“I remember.” he grumbled feeling his jaw tighten and turned sharply to face her, “Can’t you ever shut up?!” 

She had changed out of of her uniform, she was now wearing some non-descriptive ensemble colored pink and white.

“Look I do not intend to say that I will ever be able understand what you went through…” Liar, didn’t she yelled at him about some older brother she had never seen again in years? “…and I don’t expect you to ever forgive Academia, but we are supposed to work together, can’t we at least try and stop pissing each other off?” 

So she finally admits it, he thought with something akin to relief, somehow it felt… good to know that he managed to get under her skin too, he did not stop staring at her either, lest she tried to retreat again.

But she didn’t try to, instead she took one step closer to him, so he did the same.

“Maybe one day we can be friends?” she asked again and he almost wanted to laugh at that, almost. “Fine, have it your way, can’t we at least have a civil  _talk_?” She said with a sigh.

He didn’t answer, and took one final step to fully face her, right on cue she frowned and he could tell she was prepared to punch him again if the situation called for it again.

Always reading their opponents movements, always on guard, and he did chuckled a little at this.

“No,” he said finally. “We can’t” 

And with that declaration Kaito lunged forward - trapping her hand mid-air when she raised it - and kissed her… Maybe it was too conceding to call it such, when she was frozen on spot and him being completely untutored in the art, was quite simply crushing his lips against hers.

He still didn’t back down, because she was wrong, so very wrong, because Asuka was quite probably one of the few persons who understood him the better.

Then her fingers entwined with his, a slight whimper left her lips before clutching to him and she was kissing him back, and he tilted his head humming in approval, suddenly the mechanics of kissing made sense to him as he opened his mouth to her.

He had been hungry for her, so  _hungry_.

“Wait…” She gasped putting some distance between them. “We really need to talk now.”  And Kaito was aware that the growl his throat gave barely sounded sane, but she wanted to talk  _now_? “Yes, we are going to talk.” She stated taking a step back. 

“That is if you want a repeat…” she said placing her finger on his lips. “…of this again.

This woman was unbelievable… but he very much wanted more of …whatever _this_ was…. 

Maybe they really needed to talk.


	61. Moonlighting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Character/Pairing** : Yuri
> 
> **Prompt** : Under the Cover of Darkness
> 
> **Words** : 730

When Yuri first discovers the Academia’s greenhouse it’s complete and utter mess, it is nothing like the beautiful images he saw in the books, the grass is yellowing brown and green, sickly looking and uneven.

And there is not a single flower.

Fixing all this would take day after day of hard work, time he did not have to waste with the Arc Area Project right on the corner, especially not at daylight where everyone would get to see playing around in the dirt.

Yuri had an image to maintain after all, and nowhere around it there was place for … _gardening_.

He almost wants to throw all the gardening tool he managed to… ‘Borrow’ from the maintenance staff, but in the dim moonlight he would end losing them for sure.

Why was he bothering himself with this anyway? If he wanted a garden so bad he could just bully some of the sore losers of the dorms to do all the hard work for him and they would have to do it lest they wanted to be turned into a card.

…Yeah like he would give them the chance soil this place with their bore and lameness more that it was.

So Yuri kneeled and started to remove the weeds.

* * *

“Uh?” A Red girl stopped in her tracks. “Was the greenhouse always there?”

“…I think so, but until last week it was practically falling down.” Answered another Yellow boy. “Maybe we could go see it one of these days?!” 

But on the entrance there was a warning sign:

**STEP IN HERE AND YOU DIE**

Accompanied by a bunch of drawings of little skulls and faces with fangs and pulling their tongues out.

* * *

Yuri was an idiot.

The thought escaped his mind before he would help it, but it was true as months of ridiculously hard work finally paid off with the first blooms of spring… or so some of the other students here kept saying - He need to put on more warning signs now that he thought about ot -

But what good are they when they close up at night before he can even look at them?

* * *

Someone has been in the greenhouse.

He just knows it because there are foot print on the ground most definitely not belonging to him - they are too small - and the signs he put are now all scribbled over with some mocking faces.

No one was allowed here, this place was his, his only, the only place where he can… where he can…

What was the whole reason he did this anyway? It has been about three years now, he still remembers all the cuts and rashes he got, and the callous in his hands will probably never disappear.

_“Perhaps the unattached, the unwanted, the unloved, could grow to give love as lushly as anyone else.”_  

He had read a book about that he remembered but he had forgotten most of it by now.

There is a glint that calls his attention in the dead of the night, a ribbon, a yellow ribbon next to the primroses.

He grinned, now he can catch the intruder.

* * *

All useless, he tried to check all the damn yearbooks to see which student made an habit to wear such a ridiculous thing, and no results, most of them didn’t even have long hair.

So here he was now, ditching his duties to catch the intruder, so far no luck and the sun was setting already.

Then some ruffling of leaves.

And a figure emerged from a little trapdoor that he had not paid attention before because it was too small for anyone of importance to fit through.

But his person fitted, she seemed to have his age and his same height and was carrying a map of sorts where she had marked several spots and was looking at all the exits of the greenhouse marking them in blue.

She then left through the same way she entered and Yuri breathed again. 

_‘Who is she?’_ She wore a Red uniform but there was no records of her, he was sure of that, and she wore another ribbon on her hair, and a strange bracelet on her wrist.

Yuri had to find her.

.

.

.

_“I would keep her, and raise her, and love her, even if she had to teach me how to do it.”_


	62. Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Charater/Pairing** : Reiji Akaba
> 
>  **Prompt** : One Missed Call
> 
>  **Words** : 492

It had all started with one missed call.

One which no one in the company had paid much attention to, after all it wasn’t a rare happening when his father missed calls when on the job, especially when he was engrossed in his ‘special’ research, sometimes he would could go on for days without even coming home for dinner.

Then why does mother look so worried? After all she’s usually the one who encourages his father to keep up the hard work.

 _‘Leo Corps is you’_ Reiji had hear her say to him many times when his father looked like he wanted to just throw everything out of the window. _‘We need **you** ’ _

.

.

.

When the Principal’s assistant calls for Reiji in the middle of an important test he knows something has to be _very_ wrong, as he hurried on the hallway, next to him the poor lady looking like she will have a heart attack leading him to where Nakajima must be waiting for him.

Instead he finds his mother on in the Principal’s office, explaining to him that from now on, he will no longer attend school, she will take care of his education now.

.

.

.

“You father is gone, no one has been able to contact him for a whole week now, he left behind all his communications devices, he took nothing, no clothes, no food, or books, but he _did_ take the time to take _ALL_ his research and empty the bank accounts..”

Reiji stopped following the conversation of the Board a while ago, he feels short of breath, his vision is… funny, true his eyesight has always been bad but he’s wearing his glasses right now, so why does everything look blurry at the edges? Why does it feel like there is rock sitting on his chest? And he would rather that no one talks to him because he is not sure that the sounds coming out from his mouth would be full sentences, or even words.

.

.

.

_“It will be fine, your mother is strong, you are strong too, we will get throught this.”_

That was what his mother had told him right before doing some press announcement, along with some reminders to keep his head help up high -  _“We wouldn’t want to look weak”_ \- , to keep his eyes looking up front -  _“Always look up front, move forward”_ \- and to take deep breaths before answering any question -  _“Always think twice before speaking or else your feelings get the better out of you”_ - 

Then why is she trashing father’s old office? There is glasses shards all over the floor, pieces of torn papers, some of the furniture is turned over and Reiji thinks he can hear his mother sobs in between her yells and curses.

All because of father… 

Reiji will find him and have him grovel and beg forgiveness to Mother, to him, to _everyone_.


End file.
